


Danganronpa: Discordant Echoes

by HinataSnow



Category: Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Amnesia, Character Death, Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Gen, Here we go, Multi, for all three main games, relationships to be decided
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2020-08-13 21:50:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 39
Words: 100,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20181277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HinataSnow/pseuds/HinataSnow
Summary: Kaede Akamatsu had been ready to face death for what she'd done. She closed her eyes for what she thought was the last time- and opened them to find herself in an even more mysterious location, in a brand new Killing Game. Surrounded by friends and new faces alike, Kaede fights to beat this new Killing Game- unknowing of what was awaiting them all.Join the Discordant Echoes Discord: https://discord.gg/sJQbSW3





	1. Prologue, Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone. Snow here! I have written DR fics before, but never anything like on this scale. This is a story that I really want to tell, and I hope that you are all willing to listen. Not only that, but I hope the audience is willing to help me with this tale. There is audience participation I have planned, but I will get into details later. Enough out of me: The Killing Game awaits.

**Snowthefirst presents... **

**A story directed and written by Snow**  
  
Kaede Akamatsu knew she was about to die. 

She could see the torn, despondent look on her classmates’ faces. She’d caused this. Kaede had caused this, when she rolled that shot put ball into that vent and ended Rantaro’s life. 

All Kaede could do was give her last wish to the rest of her classmates. She could see how her words left an impact on more than a few of them. Most of all, Kaede could see how this impacted Shuichi.

_ I’m sorry, Shuichi. I’m sorry I betrayed your trust. But you’re a much better detective than you think you are! I know that you’ll be able to save everyone and escape from this Killing Game!  _ __   
  


Kaede wanted to say these things, and more, but there was no more time- at Monokuma’s cruel command, a collar clamped around her neck, and she was whisked away, high into the sky. Kaede tried to close her eyes, so that she wouldn’t have to experience what was next. 

The collar tightened around her neck, and Kaede couldn’t breath anymore. Everything was fading, fading, fading away… 

Everything was turning black…

  
Kaede could see nothing, hear nothing, feel nothing… 

Nothing became everything. Kaede Akamatsu became nothing.

**Prologue**

**Everyone’s Despairing Reprise**

Nothing resolved into blackness. Then, Kaede could feel cold on her skin. 

_ Huh? That can’t be possible. I should be… I should be dead.  _

__   
Kaede opened her eyes, and saw that she was stuck in some mysterious pod. There was a glass lid in front of her. Cautiously, Kaede touched the glass, then pushed against it. The lid pushed open, and Kaede sat up.    
  
She was in a large, strange room, and all around her she could see other pods. Then, in front of her, she could see a person. 

“Ahhh! Who are you?!” Kaede yelled out. 

“Oh? I didn’t know someone as plain as me could be scary.” The person stepped closer, revealing themselves to be- 

  
“Tsumugi? What are you doing here?”   
  
“Hello, Kaede. I’m not sure, but at the same time, I don’t feel scared. This place is kind of cool. Like something out of a sci-fi manga!”    
  


**Tsumugi Shirogane**

**Ultimate Cosplayer**

“Hello, Tsumugi,” Kaede said, a lot more relaxed. “I admit, while I don’t know where we are, I’m at least happy to see you! I feel like I could play something bright and lively right now!”    
  
As Kaede became more aware of her surroundings, memories returned to her. Including the memory of the Ultimate Talent. 

**Kaede Akamatsu**

**Ultimate Pianist **

“Okay, but we aren’t going to stay around here! We need to see what kind of situation we’ve found ourselves in.” Kaede said, climbing out of her pod and getting on her feet. 

  
“That’s just like you, Kaede, to act so decisively!” Tsumugi exclaimed. “But first, maybe we should check some of these other pods?” 

Just as Tsumugi said that, Kaede heard the sound of other pods opening. She went to the nearest one, and saw another familiar face. 

  
“Kaede? Tsumugi? I’m glad to see you! I don’t know what’s going on here. But the moment a degenerate male shows up, I will send them away!” 

**Tenko Chabashira**

**Ultimate Aikido Master**

“I haven’t seen anyone dangerous yet, but I guess that’s reassuring,” Kaede said, feeling a familiar exasperation. 

“Fucking hell! This place is so cold, my nipples are poking right through my clothes!”    
  
“Oh dear.” Tsumugi said in a dismayed tone. “There’s only one person I know that talks like that.” 

**Miu Iruma**

**Ultimate Inventor **

If Kaede had been exasperated before, now she was getting a headache. “Hello there, Miu. I suppose you can join the rest of us.”    
  
“Why the fuck would I join with plebs like you? A gorgeous girl genius like me works best alone,” Miu scowled aggressively. “In fact, I’d like for you all to get out of my sight right now!” 

“You seem like you want time to yourself,” Tenko said. “But if you need company, I’ll come back!”    
  
“Um, duh, that’s what I just said! What do I need a meathead like you for?” Miu scoffed, turning away from the other girls. 

“If Miu wants to be left alone, then leave her alone,” Kaede said to Tenko. “Let’s see who else is in here!” 

“Alright, then.” With one last look at Miu, Tenko joined the other two girls as they looked around for more pods.    
  


The next person they found was a really short one. Looking around, he sighed.    
  
“This body is just an empty shell. So then, why am I still breathing?” 

**Ryoma Hoshi**

**Ultimate Tennis Pro**

Instinctively, Tenko’s face wrinkled in disgust. With great effort, she relaxed her expression, and said, “Hello, Ryoma! We don’t know where we are, but a lot of our classmates seem to be here!” 

“Then in that case, I don’t think this place can be hell,” Ryoma muttered, putting a candy cigarette in his mouth. “Whoever brought us here shouldn’t have bothered with me.”    
  
“I see you’re still as much of an edgelord as the last time we met,” Kaede said, frowning. “Between you and Miu, I feel like my hands are already full.” 

“I don’t know. I think Ryoma has a dark, brooding energy about him,” Tsumugi mused. “He’s totally the kind of guy that’s like catnip for most girls!”   
  
“If you know what’s good for you, just stay away,” Ryoma cut in. “Nothing good can come of associating with a guy like me.” 

“Are you seriously still going on about that? When are you going to man up?”    
  
“Oh no. That loud, insensitive voice,” Tenko said, horror on her face. “It can’t be!” 

“Why the long faces? The Luminary of the Stars has finally entered the scene!” 

**Kaito Momota**

**Ultimate Astronaut **

“My face is like this because it saw you, that’s for sure,” Tenko said, her face twisted into her… unique expression of contempt. 

“Glad to see you’re still as spirited as always,” Kaito said, not remotely phased by Tenko’s reaction. “Have you seen Maki Roll? Or Shuichi?” 

“No, I haven’t seen either of them around here.” Kaede said, before Tenko could say anything else. “But there are a lot of these pods around here. Maybe we’ll find them in one of them.”    
  
“My sidekicks better not be sleeping, that’s for sure! Otherwise, they are going to get stricter training regiments, first thing!” Kaito followed Kaede, Tsumugi, and Tenko deeper into the strange room, where even more pods were waiting. 

One of them was opening up, and a tall man was emerging from it, sitting up. Aside from his height, the main had long hair, and a mask on the lower half of this face.    
  
“That’s it! I can’t take this anymore. I’m leaving,” Tenko said, turning around and walking away. “This is just one degenerate male too many!”    
  
“Tenko, come back!” Kaede called out, to no avail. 

  
“Kehehe. Perhaps not the warmest welcome I could have received,” Korekiyo said, amused. “But I am not offended. Every human has their beliefs, and they are all beautiful.”    
  


**Korekiyo Shinguji**

**Ultimate Anthropologist **

“I’m starting to get a bad feeling from this. Why are so many of us collected in the same place like this?” Kaito asked out loud. 

Kaede could understand what he was saying. But she wanted to hold off on any theories until she found the rest of her classmates.    
  
At the end of the room they were in, there was only one more pod. So everyone crowded around the pod, and saw that there was a person inside. As the pod opened… 

Kaede saw a face that made her heart stop. It was a face that Kaede would never forget, for all the wrong reasons. 

“It looks like once again, I’ve found myself in a situation like this. But getting worked up about it won’t get us anywhere.”    
  


**Rantaro Amami**

**Ultimate ???**

“Could… could the rest of you keep looking around for people? I’m going to go looking somewhere else!” Before anyone could respond, Kaede left. She had no real destination in mind, she needed to get away. 

It was true, so far Kaede had run into a lot of her classmates. Yet somehow, meeting Rantaro was still a massive shock for her.

Eventually, Kaede came upon an exit. In search of answers, and to put distance between herself and Rantaro, she went into the exit, which lead into a hallway. The hallway kept going for a minute, then split into a fork. 

Peeking down one end, Kaede saw a mysterious blue light, so she went towards it. This path led into a small, circular room. The blue light was behind a large, steel door that Kaede could see no way to get past. 

  
On the steel door, there was no knob, or lock. Instead, there was an electronic display. The display was simple, if ominous: It had the number sixteen over the number two. 

Remembering Kaito’s concern from earlier, Kaede shuddered, and decided she didn’t want to be in this room either.    
  
Arriving back at the fork in the hallway, Kaede went down the path she ignored earlier. This lead to a large pair of double doors. Pushing them open, Kaede saw… 

“What is this place?” Kaede asked herself, her eyes taking in the vast expanse of snow that lay before her. As her eyes adjusted to the sunlight outside, Kaede saw several more people in front of her. 

Kaede walked forward to approach some of them. As she walked, she suddenly bumped into someone. 

“Ow!”    


  
Looking for the source of the voice, Kaede saw a boy dressed in a green hoodie on the ground. The boy had pale skin, and bright white hair. 

  
“Oh, I’m sorry to bump into you!” Kaede exclaimed.  _ This guy is so pale, he blended in with the snow! _

“That’s just like my luck, to leave me making such a terrible first impression. But that means that good luck is waiting just around the corner! How exciting! Oh, but I suppose even an eyesore like me needs to introduce themselves.”

**Nagito Komaeda**

**Ultimate Lucky Student**

_ I… honestly have no idea of what to make of this.  _ Nagito had gone from lamenting, excited, to self deprecating in the span of a few seconds. Kaede wasn’t sure if she’d be able to hold long conversations with this boy. 

“I guess it’s nice to meet you, Nagito,” Kaede said politely, before walking to see who else was around. Once again, a shape appeared out of nowhere, this time pitch black. 

  
Kaede succeeded in not bumping into the shape, and soon saw that it was a girl. And if Nagito had been pale, this girl was a step beyond that. Besides the pitch-black uniform, the girl had piercing red eyes, silver hair, and what looked to be a sword bag on her back. 

“Hello. You are yet another unfamiliar face. I wonder for what purpose we were all brought here? ...Ah, you were waiting for my to introduce myself. Truthfully… neither my name or talent mean anything to me.” 

**Peko Pekoyama**

**Ultimate Swordswoman**

“That’s a very concerning thing to hear!” Looking closer at Peko, Kaede noticed what appeared to be a gold chain around her neck. Would it be appropriate to ask about it?

  
_ Given her current mood, maybe I shouldn’t push her the wrong way.  _ In fact, Peko already seemed to be focusing her attention elsewhere, So Kaede resumed her search for people. 

The next person that Kaede saw was also dressed in dark clothing- this time, a boy dressed in a jacket, with a scarf around his neck. He had bandages around his hands, a scar over one of his eyes… “Woah! You are… you are certainly something.”    
  
“Greetings, maiden. It appears that the forces of darkest evil have chosen to resurrect this vessel. Fuahahahaha! They will soon rue the day they made that fatal mistake!” 

**Gundham Tanaka **

**Ultimate Breeder**

Gundham’s words forced Kaede to acknowledge what she’d been thinking about in the back of her head. The last thing she remembered was dying- and yet now, here she was. And not only were many of her classmates here, but even other people she didn’t recognize.    
  
_ What does that mean? And where are we?  _

Not too far from Gundham, there was a girl. The girl was wearing a hoodie with cat ears on it. “Aw, that’s a really cute hoodie!” Kaede said, smiling. 

The girl didn’t respond at first. Then she yawned, and rubbed her eyes. “Sorry about that. I’m feeling tired.”   
  
“But it’s snowing! How could you possibly feel tired in a place like this?” Kaede asked. 

“I’ve been looking around, but right now I’m taking a break. But you want me to introduce myself, right?”    
  


**Chiaki Nanami**

**Ultimate Gamer**

_ Something about her reminds me of Himiko, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.  _ “So what have you noticed so far?”   
  
“There are a few buildings around here. The biggest one appears to be a dormitory,” Chiaki answered. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t go inside.”    
  
“Then we should find a way to get inside. It would be kinda bad if we stayed out in the cold like this,” Kaede pointed out.    
  
“I’m sure everyone will figure it out. For now, I’m going to take another rest…”    
  
Even though a part of Kaede was worried about Chiaki, there were at least other people nearby. There seemed to be four more people that Kaede hadn’t talked to yet. And one of them was approaching her:    
  
A strawberry-blonde girl wearing a pair of bear pins in her hair, one black and the other white. Her bright blue eyes shone with a manic energy, and her grin was unsettling. Her black vest and red skirt didn’t help the impression. 

“Hiya! I wonder, have you fully grasped the situation we’re in yet? Your eyes tell me you haven’t. It must be such a rich despair, feeling lost and helpless. Tell me, what can I do to make that despair even worse?”   
  


**Junko Enoshima**

**Ultimate Despair **

“Now wait a second! What are you even going on about? I’m not about to fall into any despair!” Kaede yelled. “And why does it sound like you know something we don’t?”    
  
“Oh, now aren’t you a lively one? Oh ho ho, people like you are always the most fun to break.” Junko’s words were at odds with the blush spreading on her face. 

“Okay then… well, you keep doing whatever it is you’re doing.” Kaede made her escape, and silently wished that the next person she met was not insane, like the last few. 

Coming into view was a girl with blue hair, blue eyes, and wearing a simple school uniform. “I don’t want to presume too much. But judging by your hairpin, are you a fan of music?”    
  
“I’m not just a fan! I’m a pianist!” Kaede said excitedly. “Does that mean that you like music too?”    
  
“Oh, I’d love to talk with you about music all day! As for me, I’m...”   


**Sayaka Maizono**

**Ultimate Idol**

_ What a relief. You might be the most reasonable person I’ve met all day.  _

“Oh, I know that some of the others can seem like they’re too much. But they’re dealing with things as best as they can,” Sayaka said. 

  
“What the-?! Did you just respond to my thoughts?” Kaede asked, alarmed. 

“Oh right. I didn’t tell you yet- I’m psychic!” Then after a moment, Sayaka said, “Just kidding! It’s just good intuition.”    
  
“I’m not going to lie, I did need that,” Kaede admitted. “This has been such a strange day so far.”    
  
“Sayaka! Don’t spend too much time just standing around and talking! We must get back to our investigation!”    
  
“Okay, ow!” A loud voice stabbed into Kaede’s ears. The source of the voice turned out to be from a boy with black hair in a crew-cut, red eyes, and dressed in an all white suit.

“Pardon my interruption! While I apologize for intruding in your conversation, I must talk with my classmate about our situation. But before we leave, let’s exchange names!” 

**Kiyotaka Ishimaru**

**Ultimate Moral Compass**

“Nice to meet you! But if you’re going to talk, can I talk with-” Kaede didn’t get to finish what she was saying- Kiyotaka had taken Sayaka and walked away. They were headed to the last person that she hadn’t met, so she followed them. 

“If it isn’t Miss Maizono and Mr. Ishimaru. Have you found anyone else?” Asked a large boy wearing glasses. Then he lay eyes on Kaede. “And who is this?”    
  
“My name is Kaede Akamatsu. So, are you really classmates with Sayaka and Kiyotaka?”    
  
“Yes, and with Miss Enoshima as well. But you don’t know me yet. I am the Alpha and the Omega!” 

**Hifumi Yamada**

**Ultimate Doujinishi **

_ I have no idea what that means, and I’m not sure if it’s worth asking.  _

“Whatever’s happening, it seems like some of us know each other, and others don’t. Why don’t we all group up and-”    
  
*Ding dong, bing bong*    
  
The chime rang out through the snowfield, drawing everyone’s attention. Then, it was followed by a voice. A high-pitched, sinister voice that made Kaede sick to her stomach.

“Puhuhuhu. It looks like everyone’s acquainted with each other. Then head towards the largest building, and the fun can really begin!”


	2. Prologue, Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we have the second half of the prologue! It's a bit shorter than the first half, and for that I apologize. But as for what the true nature of this situation is, I'll let a certain someone take it from here. Enjoy, everyone!

Everyone else was gathering around Kaede, and they all had varying levels of unease on their faces. Some of them, however, were much calmer than the others.    
  
Chiaki was one of them. “So, Monokuma has confirmed that there are multiple buildings here.”    
  
“Monokuma? Do you really believe that’s what the voice was?” Tsumugi asked. “I mean, wouldn’t a bear like him be hibernating in a place like this?”    
  
“He’s not a real bear. He’s a machine, you dumbass!” Miu yelled.    
  
“Now, now. I don’t know what Monokuma is doing here,” Chiaki said. “But for the time being, let’s look for this building he mentioned. If nothing else, we should probably get out of this cold.”   
  
“I like the way you think!” Taka exclaimed, smiling. “Alright, everyone. Let’s be on our way in a calm, orderly fashion!”   
  
Judging by the way that the rest of the students scattered about, no one listened to a word that he had said. Kaede decided to accompany Chiaki.    
  
“You mentioned that you found dormitories. Do you think that’s where we’re going?” Kaede asked.    
  
“Maybe. But Monokuma specified ‘the biggest building’. So I’m looking for a bigger one than the dormitories,” Chiaki answered. “If I had to guess, we’re looking for a place that will be like an auditorium… I think.”    
  
“I suppose it’s the best idea we have at the moment.” Chiaki seemed much sharper than she looked, at least to Kaede.    
  
The snowfield was large, so it took awhile for them to make progress. Eventually, they came upon a large, wooden building. Some of the others were already going inside.    
  


Kaede! I’m glad that I found you again!” Tenko said, as she ran up to her. “Looks like this situation might be much worse than we realized. So I’m here to protect you!”    
  
“Tch. Whoever is doing this has a sick sense of humor,” Kaito said. “Pretending to be Monokuma… as soon as I go in there, I’m going to teach the person doing this a lesson!” 

“Oh, that reminds me! Did you ever find Shuichi or Maki? Or the rest of our classmates?” Kaede did notice that after Rantaro, everyone else she met was a stranger. 

“No, not yet. But this seems like a pretty big place. I’m sure they’re somewhere around here!” Kaito said. “Maybe they’re already inside!”    
  


_ That’s possible. But even if that’s true, it might be worse if they are here.  _

Just as Chiaki theorized, inside the wooden building turned out to be an auditorium. The walls inside were also made of wood, but the building interior was heated. At the very back of the building was an all too familiar stage.    
  


“Curiouser and Curiouser. It seems our host has cast a warmth spell on this one location,” Gundham said. “For what purpose?” 

“I’m pretty sure this building has a built in heater,” Peko said in a weary deadpan. “It seems as if our captor wants our full attention for whatever they’re going to do.”    
  
“If anything, that makes this whole thing more mysterious,” Sayaka said. “A ton of work must have gone into making this place. But why?”    
  
“You ask why? Why is such a futile question. All it does it broadcast your ignorance to the world.”    
  
The high-pitched voice echoed in the room, causing everyone’s faces to go pale. As they all turned towards the stage at the back, all eyes fell on a podium on stage. 

Out of nowhere, a black and white bear appeared at the podium, behind which there was a large pair of curtains. “Hello, hello, my precious students. It’s so nice to see you all again!”

Monokuma!” Kaito shouted, glaring at the mechanical menace. “Whoever is controlling you, reveal yourself at once!” 

“You want me to reveal myself? That is such an inappropriate thing for a headmaster to do in front of their students!” Monokuma said, swooning in faux-shock.    
  
“What are you doing here? And where are we?” Kaede asked, feeling sweat run down her face.    
  
“Oh, I know exactly where I am, and what I’m doing here. The real question is, what are all of you doing here?” Monokuma asked. “After all, all of you should share a similar memory. A memory… of death.” 

The word caused a ripple effect across the entire room. In Kaede’s mind images of her execution started to play, and she shuddered.    
  
“Kaede, keep it together!” Tenko exclaimed, running over to her and putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 

  
“What an interesting claim. However, it is a known fact that there is no way to bring back the dead,” Korekiyo said. “Are you claiming to have done the impossible?”    
  
For Monokuma, nothing is impossible! If anything, you should all be on your hands and knees thanking me for my generosity,” Monokuma declared. “After all, you’re all nothing but losers! Ah ha ha ha ha!”    
  
“Losers of our respective killing games you mean,” Nagito said, far too calmly. “I know I remember being in one, and I read about the game of Hope’s Peak. So, it stands to reason the same applies to the final third of our group.”    
  
“You’re right. You’re certainly very observant,” Rantaro said, scratching his head. “But I suppose that doesn’t answer how we could possibly be here if what Monokuma said is really true.”    
  
It might be possible,” Miu suddenly said. “I was investigating those weird pods we were in. They do have a functioning life support system. But as for if they can really bring back the dead, I don’t fucking know! I didn’t get enough time to study them.”

“At the very least, it confirms that we could have been kept in stasis for a while,” Ryoma said. “So that whatever this is could be set up at their leisure.” 

“Ugh. Are you really all this hopelessly stupid?” Junko said in disgust. “Isn’t obvious why we’re here? We’ve been pulled from our respective killing games to participate in one big, joint killing game!” 

“Eeeeee! So if we were really brought back, it was just to die again?!” Hifumi exclaimed.    
  
“You didn’t think my generosity was for free, did you?” Monokuma said, unsheathing one of his claws. “That’s right! If you want to know why you’re here, you have to kill for it!”    
  
“That’s no generosity! That’s blackmail!” Tenko yelled. 

“I think that's the least of our worries," Tsumugi pointed out.

Monokuma stood as tall as he could. "I may as well formally welcome you all to this Grand Killing Game! Blackened and victims alike gathered here to outwit each other in one final contest! Will the Blackened take this second chance to make a perfect murder plan? Or will victims take their revenge?" 

"Now wait just a second! Where is everyone, then? Where is… my bro?" Taka asked, his eyes tearing up.

"Oh, a killing game always has sixteen participants. And curating that number from all the dead students was a lot of hard work!" Monokuma said proudly. "But I'm sure everyone here will play a truly bloody game!" 

"Just shut up already!" Kaito shouted raising a fist at Monokuma. "There's no way we're going to listen to you! In fact, we're leaving!" 

"Pu hu hu hu hu. I was waiting for you to start being defiant. It's going to make this so satisfying. Oh come to me, Exisal!" 

Kaede's breath caught in her throat. In the next instant, the curtains behind Monokuma were drawn back, revealing an Exisal. 

But this machine was much bigger than any other Exisal that Kaede remembered, and it was painted in black and white, like Monokuma. 

"Behold, the new and improved Super Exisal!" Monokuma declared. "It's made of a metal so tough, you could beat at it all day and not leave a scratch!"

"So is it made of Vibranium? Because I could think of a certain king that would take issue with this," Tsumugi said. 

“I don’t think it matters what this machine is made of. That doesn’t change the grim nature of our situation,” Peko said, a trace of nervousness on her face. 

“In an RPG, this would be a superboss that you need all the best weapons to beat,” Chiaki said, barely failing to hide her own fears. “We… don’t have anything like that.” 

Monokuma ignored this. "Oh, and this Exisal is immune to any tampering from the outside. That includes electronic interference!"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Miu exclaimed, visibly withering.

  
“H-hey, is all of this really necessary?” Taka asked, sweating profusely. “This is far too excessive!” 

“Someone please save meeee!” Hifumi cried out.

"None of that matters!" Kaito moved forward. "I'm not going to be satisfied until I punch you!" 

“Kaito, stop!” Tenko called out. “Even a stubborn degenerate like you should know better than to press your luck at a time like this!”    
  
Kaito paused, but was still shaking with anger. “Are you really saying we should let Monokuma do whatever he wants?”    
  
“No, I don’t think that’s what Tenko is saying,” Chiaki said, a serious expression on her face. “As a martial artist, she’s saying to pick your battles… I think.”    
  
Even as he kept glaring, this was enough to get Kaito to back off. 

" You were so close to being made an example of! You really do have the devil's luck, don't you," Monokuma said, his jagged red eye glowing. "I'm not going to waste anymore time on you. Instead, I'll give you all your first task! Please take out your Monopads." 

Kaede took her Monopad from her backpack- around her, the other students were doing the same. 

Onscreen, there was a map: Aside from the building they were in, there were two more large buildings, as well as one smaller building. Everything seemed to be enclosed in a large circle. 

"First, I would read the rules. Then go ahead and explore to your hearts' content. Once you do, you'll truly understand the despair of your situation! Ah ha ha ha ha ha!" 

As Monokuma left the room, Kaede was left with the fifteen other people that had been thrown into this Killing Game as well.    
  
Some of them Kaede knew, however briefly, and she called them her friends. Then there was Rantaro, the person that she killed.    
  
Then there was everyone else- eight people that Kaede wanted to trust, but she knew nothing about. Not only that, but among this group, there were students just like her: fellow Blackened that had taken the life of a classmate.

Echoing her thoughts, Chiaki said, “I noticed that Monokuma didn’t specify who the Blackened were.”    
  
“In other words, we don’t know who can be trusted. Suspicion is going to seep into our group and widen the cracks.” Then Nagito started to laugh- a chilling, loud laugh that echoed through the entire room. “It’s so wonderful! This is exactly the kind of despair that we need to overcome if we’re going to find a strong hope!” 

Maybe it was Kaede’s imagination- but suspicion did seem to be filling the room, making the air feel thin, as everyone warily studied each other. 

_ I thought the Killing Game I was in before was a nightmare, and that I just needed to wake up. Well, I did wake up… into something even worse.  _

**Prologue: Everyone’s Despairing Reprise**

**END**

**   
** **Participating Students: 16**

**You got the Monopad! A mysterious device that everyone has. Keeps track of all important data in a Killing Game. **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is edited by Nin and yawnyboy. Art is done by Maxstel. From here on, the Killing Game truly begins! I welcome people to make theories about what happens. Me and my team will do our best to live up to the name of Danganronpa. So I hope that everyone continues to follow along. See you next time! Please review.


	3. Chapter 1, Daily Life I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! After cooking things up with my team, it is now time to start the Killing Game proper. Starting off, we're establishing the ground rules for the situation at hand. 10/16/19 edit: New title card by Dreamganronpa. Enjoy, everyone!

This situation was far too familiar. Just like last time, Kaede was overcome with a numb feeling. Just like last time, her fingers were moving on their own, swiping on the Monopad to see the rules. 

  1. For the foreseeable future, the sixteen students will be expected to cohabit at this Killing Game resort. 
  2. When a murder is committed at this resort, a class trial will be conducted. Participation is mandatory for the surviving students. 
  3. If the Blackened is correctly identified during the class trial, only they will be punished for their crime. 
  4. If the Blackened is not identified, or if the incorrect student is identified, all students besides the Blackened will be executed.
  5. Should the class trial conclude with the victory of the Blackened, they will earn a special privilege.
  6. This Killing Game must continue until only two spotless students or one Blackened student remain. 
  7. All acts of violence towards Monokuma, the ruler of the Killing Game resort, is strictly prohibited. 
  8. Monokuma will never directly participate in a murder. 
  9. Your Monopads are an integral part of your life here. Please do not damage them.
  10. Tampering with critical property of this resort is explicitly forbidden. 
  11. Attempts to escape this resort physically are also explicitly forbidden. 
  12. A body discovery announcement will occur when three or more students discover a body. 
  13. If two different murders by two different murderers occur at the same time, only the one whose victim will be found first will become the Blackened. 
  14. Students who break any of these rules will be exterminated by Monokuma’s Exisal. 
  15. Monokuma may add additional rules at his discretion. 

Even as Kaede’s eyes absorbed the rules, a part of her wasn’t processing them. She did not want to acknowledge that this was happening. 

**Chapter 1 **

“Hey, I have a question,” Chiaki said suddenly. “It’s about the fifth rule.”   
  
Reading it again, Kaede did get the feeling that something was distinctly off about it. 

“In the Jabberwock Island killing game, a victorious Blackened earns the right to escape,” Chiaki continued. “I just wanted to check if it was the same for everyone else.”  


“It was the same rule on our end,” Sayaka said, her face pale. “Asking us to kill our classmates to leave our prison.”   


“I can confirm that the rule was the same, at least in our first bloody game,” Korekiyo said. “Kuhuhu… I realize where you are driving at, Nanami. You want to know why the rule is different on this specific occasion.”   


Why does it matter? None of us are going to kill, and that’s final!” Kaito yelled.

“It matters because Monokuma never does things without a reason,” Junko said, grinning. “So to change the objective from ‘escape’ to this mysterious ‘privilege’ is interesting indeed.” 

“Excuse me! May I talk for a moment?” Tenko asked, raising her voice so everyone could hear her.   


“You’re Chabashira, right? Since you asked so politely, you may speak!” Taka said. 

“Monokuma said that we should all remember how we died. Well, the thing is… I don’t remember!” Tenko shouted. “No matter how hard I try, I can’t remember what happened to me!”

“Tch. It figures that your brain would be so soft! But my golden brain remembers it just fine. You died because…” Then Miu’s face turned into a frustrated scowl. “What the fuck?!”   
  
“Miu, what are you freaking out about? Just let the Luminary of the Stars…” Then Kaito’s eyes widened. “What’s going on here?!”   
  
“If it was just Tenko, one could suspect her of feigning her amnesia,” Korekiyo said, deep in thought. “But this is a clear pattern. For what reason was this specific memory excised?” 

“Could it be that perhaps, Chabashira was a Blackened?” Nagito asked. “That would certainly be a reason to remove her death from everyone’s memories.”

“Sh-shut up, you creepy degenerate! I would never do anything like that!” Tenko exclaimed, sweating. 

“That’s exactly what a Blackened would say! Your pleading just sounds pathetic to our ears,” Junko said. “Oh, how did you do it? Did you snap your victim’s neck, perhaps?”   
  
“Stop!” Everyone in the room did stop out of surprise- a loud voice came from the small Chiaki. “This is exactly what Monokuma wants. To jump to the worst conclusions, without giving our classmates a chance.”   
  
“That’s just what I was going to say, Nanami!”Kaito said, giving the girl a thumbs up. “Whatever Monokuma says, we ignore it!”   


“Well, I don’t think it’s safe to completely ignore-”   
  
“Let’s get out of this place! I’m sure if we look hard enough, we’ll find something,” Kaito said, talking over Chiaki. “I noticed a dining hall on the map. Let’s meet up there later!”

“I apologize for him!” Tenko said to Chiaki. “Even for a male, he can be exceptionally rude!” 

On that note, everyone left the auditorium, and went in different directions. Kaede decided to head back in the direction of where they had come from. Walking through the snow was annoying, and Kaede grumbled under her breath the entire time. 

Eventually, she did find the building she first exited from. Aside from the large double doors, there was what appeared to be a pair of elevator doors on the same building. Kaede tried both sets of doors, but they were both locked.   
  
“I really wanted to learn more about those machines, though,” Kaede said to herself. “And whatever that strange blue light was.”   
  
When reading through the rules, there was one that stuck out to Kaede. So she walked towards the area behind the building. She spotted what she suspected: a large wall, at least thirty feet tall. At the very top of the wall, there was barbed wire.

The map of this area had shown a large circle around everything- that would be this wall. Just to confirm it, Kaede followed the wall as far as she could. 

While she was walking, she ran into Miu and Sayaka. “Hello there! What brings you here?” 

“Same thing as you, I imagine. The eleventh rule sounded odd to me,” Sayaka said. “There wasn’t a rule like that before. But then, my class was sealed in our own school.”   
  
“It was the same with us. Didn't Chiaki mention something about an island?” Kaede said.   
  
“Yeah, I talked with her about it. Apparently, her class were trapped on a tropical island,” Sayaka said. “And they didn’t have a rule like this one either.” 

“Then it’s obvious what it means! Booyah, I’m a genius!” Miu bragged. “Monokuma put that rule because one we get past this wall, we’ve escaped!”   
  
“That could be true. But I have a feeling that there are cameras everywhere. If we’re caught…” Then Kaede got an idea. “But maybe you can invent something, Miu! A beacon that can send a distress signal, so someone can come rescue us!”   
  
“Not a chance, you flat-titted bitch!” Miu immediately snapped. 

“Hey, it was just an idea! That’s no reason to be so awful!” Kaede yelled back.  
  
Miu let out a high pitch squeal, shrinking into herself. “It’s not that simple! We have no clue where we are. I can build a beacon that transmits for hundreds of miles. But for all we know, that could still reach fuck all!”   
  
“You… actually have a good point.” Maybe just past this wall was a path that would lead to civilization. But it was too tall to climb, and then there was the barbed wire. So there was no way to know for sure.   
  
“Of course I’m right, Kaeidiot.” Miu said, recovering her arrogance. “I’ll try to think of something. I’m not going to let these stupid rules beat me!”   
  
“You’re very passionate, I’ve noticed,” Sayaka said. “And if you’re an inventor, so that must mean you’re very smart!”

Miu was so caught off guard by the sudden compliment, that she started blushing. “Y-yeah, that’s right. About time someone said it.” 

“But that must mean that you work very hard. You could use some help.” Sayaka smiled innocently. “Could I become your assistant?”   
  
“What does a perfect person like me need an assistant for? But if you want to help, I won’t stop you.” With that, Miu left to go elsewhere. 

  
“Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone handle Miu like that,” Kaede said, impressed.   
  
“You just need to know what to say,” Sayaka said, giggling. Then her face turned serious. “I don’t think Iruma’s that bad. Not compared to some of the people I’ve met before.”   
  
Kaede remembered that Sayaka had introduced herself as an idol. “After we’re done looking around, let’s talk, Maizono. At least here you’re among friends!”   
  
Consulting the map, Kaede decided to see what was in the smaller building. It turned out to be a small shack, and already there was Peko.   
  
“Hello there, Pekoyama! Have you checked to see what’s inside?” Kaede asked.   
  
Peko didn’t answer, instead staring off into the distance. Deciding it would be easier to check herself, Kaede peeked into the shed. Inside, there were shovels, sleds, and a large ladder.   
  
“I wonder what all of this is for?” Peko still didn’t answer, which made Kaede feel very concerned.   
  
“I don’t know what happened to bring you here. But if you helped out, things would be easier for yourself, and everyone else!” Kaede said in her friendliest tone. 

“...There’s no point. I serve no purpose,” Peko finally said.

“‘You serve no purpose’? What does that mean?” But Peko fell silent again, and now Kaede felt very frustrated. 

_ Fine. If you want to just stand here and slowly freeze, be my guest! _If Peko was absent when everyone gathered in the dining hall, Kaede would go get her. But until then…

Her next destination was the dormitories. Like the rest of the buildings, it was made of wood. The inside looked surprisingly cozy, with the main hallway lined in soft carpet. As expected, there were sixteen doors, each labeled with a different person’s name. 

Also inside were Ishimaru, and Tenko.   
  
“Greetings, Akamatsu! I have personally inspected all the male dorm rooms, and they are no traps!” Ishimaru shouted.

“I have done the same with the female dorm rooms! But I am also making sure that Ishimaru doesn’t attempt anything perverted!” Tenko added. 

“I would never do something like that!” Taka exclaimed, horrified.   
  
“You are a male! As unfortunate as it is, you’re a slave to your animalistic urges!” Tenko proclaimed, pointing directly at Taka for effect. 

“Okay, Tenko, I think that’s enough,” Kaede said, exasperated.   
  
Taka, for his part, was looking disheartened. “Do I really look untrustworthy?”   
  
In that moment, Kaito entered the room. “There you guys are! We’re all meeting in the dining hall, so we can talk about what we found!”   
  
“That sounds like a good idea!” Thankfully, this also interrupted the fast degrading conversation between Ishimaru and Tenko.

The four of them made their way to the dining hall. By now, Kaede was not surprised to see that it was a cabin, though at least it was warm inside. Everyone else had also gathered inside, and were seated at the large table. 

“Glad to see everyone here! Now, let’s recap what we found!” Kaito called out. The different groups offered their observations.   
  
Last to talk was Junko. “At the other end of where we came from, there was an elevator door. Maybe it leads to where the class trials are going to be held!”   
  
“Huh? But there are already elevator doors near the pod building,” Kaede pointed out. “So there’s an another elevator on the other side?”   
  
“Maybe one of them is rigged!” Junko suddenly yelled, her face changing entirely. “And the moment someone opens the wrong one, it fucking explodes! Then their blood and guts will splatter all over the snow!” 

“Oh, so a fifty-fifty chance between escape and death? That’s not even worth talking about,” Nagito said, sighing in disappointment. 

  
Junko’s expression flipped again, this time to sickeningly cute. “I didn’t expect anything less from one of my Remnants of Despair. In fact, why don’t we all group together?”   
  
The last comment was directed at Gundham and Peko’s direction. Peko stayed silent, though shame flitted onto her face for a second. Gundham answered, “Away from me, you foul creature! I will not allow you to taint my soul with your foul essence again.”   
  
“Feeling rebellious, aren’t you? That just means I’ll enjoy breaking you all over again,” Junko said, drooling at the prospect.   
  
“C’mon now, Enoshima. You really don’t have to keep up that act anymore,” Kaito said, chuckling. “I’m not buying it!”   
  
“...Excuse me?” Junko asked, her expression now completely blank.   
  
“I knew this kid that was a lot like you! Always going on about being this evil supreme leader,” Kaito continued. “And I’m not having any of it this time either. I’m declaring, here and now, to personally help you escape this Killing Game!”   
  
“You want to help me escape? I wonder, were you born this retarded, or were you dropped on your head,” Junko said, utterly baffled. “Because you’re not making any sense.”   
  
“Hey, no need to use that kind of language!” Kaito exclaimed. Then he got his wind back. “The point is, I can tell you’re not this big evil you claim to be!”   
  
“It appears that Kaito is using his shonen hero powers!” Tsumugi said excitedly. 

“But is it going to work on this occasion? Or will Momota need to go unlock his hidden potential if this fails?” Hifumi added. 

“It seems like Momota shines with one of the brightest hopes I’ve ever seen!” Nagito said, grinning madly. “And it’s clashing against one of the darkest despairs!” 

“You really believe what you’re saying, aren’t you? As dumb as you are, you also don’t seem like you’ll be boring,” Junko said. “I do wonder what else you have in you.”   
  
Any further conversation was interrupted by the school bell. Soon after, came an announcement for nighttime.   
  
“Okay, let’s meet up for breakfast tomorrow! Now that we’ve learned a bit about where we are, we can be prepared against Monokuma!” Kaito left the dining room on that note.   
  
Everyone else soon followed, and Kaede followed Sayaka. “So, Maizono. If you don’t mind my asking, why are you an idol?”   
  
“I don’t mind, Akamatsu! If I had to give a reason, it’s because I wanted to be as strong as the idols I saw on TV,” Sayaka said wistfully. “How about you? Why are you a pianist?”

“Well, I guess because the piano has been my entire life,” Kaede answered, clutching her hands together. “Whenever I needed to feel better, I played a light tune, and I’d be cheered right up!”   
  
“It is a comfort, isn’t it? Having your dream to reassure you when you feel like you are on your own,” Sayaka said softly. “How about tomorrow, we talk some more?”   
  
“Sure thing, Maizono!” With that promise made, the girls went to their respective dorm rooms. The bed had sheets that looked like they were warm fur. Slipping under the sheets, Kaede soon fell into a deep sleep. 

**Monokuma Theater**

Hello again, everyone! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? And don’t bother denying you missed me! I know you’ve been craving me every night. Monokuma is irresistible! 

Of course, maybe you weren’t waiting for me, exactly. After all, I’m just one iteration of Monokuma out of infinite possibilities! Worlds scattered about like rice spilled on the floor. 

If you did miss me, you’ve just made me a very happy bear!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone's been enjoying the interactions between everyone. Now, I humbly ask for the audience to participate: https://www.strawpoll.me/18572007. This link leads to a strawpoll for next chapter's FTEs. You decide who Kaede hangs out with! You can also comment your choices here. See you next time! Please review.


	4. Chapter 1, Daily Life II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have finally backlogged enough chapters of this story to start publishing with confidence. So my team and I hope you enjoy what we have to present. Chapter 1 begins in earnest! Enjoy, my readers.

Kaede woke up in her bed, which was honestly unexpected. Just yesterday, she was fully expecting to die. Today, Kaede was in a strange new place, with no idea of where to go, or what to do.   
  
She wasn’t like Shuichi, a detective that could see a place like this and draw conclusions. And before, Kaede had tried to lead everyone, and stop the Killing Game.   
  
The results of her actions were all too clear- at least half her classmates had died anyways, and now everyone was in danger again. Kaede still wanted to save everyone, but she also didn’t think she was the right person to do it. 

_ For now, I should go and eat breakfast. I’ll figure out what to do from there. _

Entering the dining hall, the first thing that Kaede heard was arguing. 

“You are a chosen one, Ishimaru. And in this world, you are either chosen by hope, or you are common trash,” said Nagito.   
  
“But… there’s no such thing as a person that’s trash!” Taka shouted. “If you work hard, then-”   
  
“Effort means nothing. That is a lie that common people tell to make themselves feel better,” Nagito said, relentless. “Ultimates like us are meant to guide them, and the world…”   
  
Already, Taka didn’t have a rebuttal, and let Nagito continue his rambling. Kaede considered stepping in, when- 

“C’mon now, Ishimaru. Aren’t you a man?” Kaito yelled out. “Are you really going to let this guy just walk all over you?”   
  
“Wh-what do you mean, Momota?” Taka asked. 

“If he won’t shut up, just punch him in the face!” Kaito said. 

“So, you’ve decided to serve as an inspiration for Ishimaru,” Nagito said, oblivious to the threat of bodily harm. “So this is the kind of person you are!” 

“You have a concerning lack of self-preservation,” Rantaro noted, watching the whole thing from further down the dining table.

“If you can’t find the words, just leave it to me!” Kaito continued, patting Taka on the shoulder. “Your worries are my worries too.”   
  
“Do you really mean that?” Ishimaru asked.   
  
“Of course I do! You have my word that I’ll look out for you,” Kaito said. 

“Wow. For someone so brash and loud, Momota seems really nice,” Sayaka said, surprised.   
  
“He’s okay, for a male. But he could certainly stand to be much less rude,” Tenko said.   
  
“Okay, that’s enough playing around,” Nagito suddenly said. “Does anyone have a plan? I doubt we want to stay in this frozen place forever.” 

“Is there anything we can do?” Ryoma asked. “Right now, Monokuma holds all the cards.”   
  
“Maybe. But that doesn’t mean we have nothing,” Chiaki said. “First of all, even if we aren’t from the same classes, we can still get along. So we try and make a united front.”   
  
“Already making use of what little advantages there are? Smart thinking.” Rantaro said. “But are you sure you should be saying it here?”   
  
Rantaro pointed towards the ceiling. Everyone else followed his finger, and saw a camera mounted in a corner of the ceiling.   
  
Something that Kaede personally noted was that the camera glowed a light blue- the same blue light that she saw in the strange room. But with Rantaro so close, she couldn’t bring herself to speak up.   
  
“I imagine cameras like that are everywhere,” Miu said. Then she sighed in a downcast manner. “I would have taken them apart myself, but it would be against the rules. It fucking blows!” 

“That actually goes into my second point,” Chiaki said, playing with her hoodie. “We’ve all experienced this sick game at various points. We might be able to find a weakness in the whole system.” 

“I see what you are driving at, Nanami,” Korekiyo said. “But the same holds true for Monokuma, and the person controlling them. I imagine they have a scheme ready to counter our every move.”   
  
“Then we just gotta be unpredictable! If we rush ahead, then we might catch Monokuma off guard!” Kaito declared. “Alright, it’s decided! Today, we look around some more to see if we missed anything. Then tomorrow, we make our move!”   
  
“Hey wait, we never decided to leave you in charge!” Tenko shouted.   
  
But Kaito was already walking out of the room with a confident grin on his face. “Ugh. This is why he’s the worst,” Tenko said, scowling.   
  
“...I can’t tell if you two are best friends or can’t stand each other,” Sayaka said. 

_ You know, it wouldn’t be so bad if Kaito was the leader. _ Kaede thought to herself. _ Everyone already listens to him. _

With the conversation over, everyone else got up from the table and went their separate ways. Tenko, now with her usual smile, approached Peko. “Hello, Pekoyama! You’re the Ultimate Swordswoman, right?” 

Peko looked up at her, but otherwise didn’t respond.   
  
“If you’re not busy, do you want to spar in the auditorium? It’s not a proper dojo, but it’s good to keep our skills from going rusty!” Tenko exclaimed. 

“...I don’t see why not.” Peko answered. 

“I’ll meet you there, then! I’ll go on ahead to warm up!” Tenko left the dining hall.   
  
Kaede decided to leave as well, to see where everyone else had gone. There weren’t many places to check out in this area. The pod building could be eliminated, since the doors were locked. Tenko was going to be in the auditorium. Which left the storage shed and the dormitories. 

_ I think I want to know what’s the deal with that shed. So I’m going that way! _

Already there were Hifumi and and Gundham. “Halt, maiden of the siren keys! Our combined presence is far too hazardous for a mortal like you,” said Gundham. 

“It is only because I’m a denizen of the dark that I can be near this powerful demon,” Hifumi said, his voice unusually deep. “But a fair lady like you should stay away.”   
  
After processing this, Kaede decided to ignore everything that was just said. “Can I look inside the shed? I want to know what’s in there.”   
  
“There isn’t anything you don’t already see. Just the sleds, shovels, and the ladder,” Hifumi said. “Though the ladder does say that it’s 35 feet long! We could put it against the wall and climb it to freedom!” 

“A tempting climb, to be sure. However, the moment we try, our devious captor would use it as an excuse to snuff out our flame of life,” Gundham said, his arms crossed.   
  
Kaede looked up at the wall, and saw something she missed the first time- a camera mounted on top of it. She imagined there were more at intervals of the wall. 

“Why would Monokuma leave us all of this? There aren’t even hills here, so the sleds are useless,” Kaede said, glaring at the shed.   
  
“The only reason why that bear does anything is to encourage murder.” Then Hifumi turned pale. “You aren’t here looking for murder weapons, right? Not that I suspect you! But I’d rather not get bashed over the head by surprise.”   
  
The moment Hifumi said those words, Kaede’s blood ran cold. There was no way that Hifumi knew what she did. Perhaps by total coincidence, he’d also died by being bashed on the head. 

Even so, Kaede could feel her legs shaking. “O-okay, thanks for all your help! I’m going to go check somewhere else now!” Before either boy could question her, Kaede ran.   
  
Before she was consciously aware of it, Kaede found herself in front of the auditorium. _ Come to think of it, Tenko said she’d be here. Maybe I could talk with her. _

Walking in, the first thing that Kaede saw was… 

“HHHIIIYYYAAAHHH!”

Tenko was in the middle of tossing Peko, the latter girl's glasses flying off her face.   
  
Peko hit the floor, momentarily stunned. 

“...I knew it.” Tenko said, wearing an unusually serious expression.   
  
“It seems I’ve underestimated you,” Peko said, putting her glasses back on and getting back on her feet. “Your title of Ultimate is well earned. I will not make that mistake again.” 

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Kaede said, knowing they’d notice her sooner or later.   
  
“No, you don’t need to worry, Kaede,” Tenko said. “This sparring session is over anyways.” 

“I do not remember agreeing to this. You’ll leave an opening thinking like that,” Peko said.   
  
“Sorry for not making it clear! I mean, there’s no need to keep sparring!” Tenko exclaimed. “Not when you aren’t trying in the slightest!”   
  
“...Of course I wasn’t using my full strength for a causal spar,” Peko said, her expression tightening. “But if you keep speaking like that I may change my mind.” 

“Then do it. Strike at me with your full strength!” Tenko said in a challenging tone. 

“Hey Tenko, maybe you can stop pushing this?” Kaede asked nervously. Peko’s face was showing the most emotion it ever had, but that emotion was anger.   
  
The other two girls ignored Kaede. “I see you’ve taken leave of your senses. Maybe a good strike will do you some good,” Peko said, putting her hand on her sword handle. 

“Action speaks louder than words! And you aren’t doing anything!” Tenko said, raising her palms into an aggressive position. 

“Please stop fighting! Before someone gets seriously hurt!” Kaede pleaded. Neither girl heard her, and Kaede didn’t know what would happen if she tried to stop them on her own. 

_ I need to go get someone’s help! Kaito always knows what to say at times like these! _Kaede rushed out of the auditorium to go find him. 

Running through the snow, Kaede hoped that Kaito wouldn’t be too hard to find. Just outside the dining hall, there was not only Kaito, but Ishimaru and Junko.   
  
Ishimaru was doing pushups in the snow, while Kaito watched him. Junko wasn’t watching either of them, but was slumped against the wall, head down.   
  
“What’s going on here?” Kaede asked, briefly distracted.   
  
“I’m training!” Ishimaru answered.   
  
“It was Momota’s stupid idea, for all of us to do push-ups,” Junko said, moping. “So I thought I would crush his precious ego by beating him without any effort. But he just grinned that stupid grin of his and told me it wasn’t bad for my first workout. I’m not even sure how to respond to that.” 

“That’s Kaito for you… wait, I need you to listen!” Kaede exclaimed. “Peko and Tenko are fighting with each other! Could you come with me so we can stop them?”  
  
“That sounds like it’s bad. Okay, Ishimaru and Enoshima, keep it up,” Kaito said. “I’ll follow Kaede and help her deal with this!” 

The two of them made their way back to the auditorium. As soon they reached it, Kaede pushed open the doors, and on the other side… 

Tenko and Peko were sitting down, with no sign that they’d been glaring at each other previously. At the sound of the door opening, Tenko looked up. 

“I don’t remember inviting you to this, degenerate male!” Tenko exclaimed. 

“Kaede brought me here to stop you two from fighting,” Kaito explained. “It looks like you already settled your differences!” 

“Everything is fine! I’ve apologized for overstepping my bounds and we’ve stopped sparring,” Tenko said. “For now, I’m keeping her company!” 

“...That’s not necessary,” Peko suddenly said. “I have… a lot to think about. So I think I’ll go to my room.”

“I’ll accompany you there!” Tenko said. Peko didn’t verbally disagree, so Tenko followed her out. 

“Kaede, what were they talking about before they started fighting?” Kaito asked.   
  
She recapped the conversation between the two of them, and Kaito listened to it intently.   
  
When Kaede finished her explanation, Kaito said, “Well what do you know? Tenko’s instincts might be right on the money.”

“Wait, what do you mean?” Kaede asked. 

“Oh, just a gut feeling I’m getting,” Kaito said. “By tomorrow, I’ll have an official Luminary of the Stars hunch ready!”   
  
With that, Kaito went off… somewhere. Having seen all of this, Kaede knew she couldn’t stand around feeling sorry for herself. _ I’m going to help keep this class together, it what little way I can! _   
  
Since her issues had interrupted their training session, Kaede went back to Ishimaru and Junko. Only Ishimaru was there.   
  
“Where did Junko go? And did Kaito not come back?” Kaede asked. 

“Enoshima left because she was tired of everything!” Ishimaru exclaimed. “And Momota told me that he’s going to rest! I decided to keep going because I wanted to!”   
  
“Since you’re by yourself, I’ll stay and keep you company,” Kaede said. “Maybe I’ll even try a few pushups!”   
  
This was a decision that Kaede soon regretted, as it turned out she wasn’t good at intense physical activity. In time, both of them took a break by sitting against the wall of the dining hall.   
  
“Akamatsu! What is your morning routine like?” Ishimaru asked suddenly.   
  
“Where did this come from?” It seemed like Ishimaru was seriously expecting an answer, so Kaede said, “Well, I guess I wake up whenever I wake up-”   
  
“Unacceptable!” Ishimaru shouted. “That kind of sloppy attitude reflects a sloppy mind!”

“Hey, what’s the big deal anyways? It’s none of your business what I do!” Kaede shouted back. 

“You’re a student, Akamatsu,” Ishimaru said. “So it’s important that you optimize every moment that you can, so that you can study as much as possible!” 

“Does that mean that you spend a lot of time studying, Ishimaru? You sound like you're speaking from experience,” Kaede said. 

“Of course! I am an honors student. So I must set an example for everyone else to follow!” Ishimaru said.   
  
“It sounds like you’re a pretty hard working guy! But, I still think that you shouldn’t go around prying into other people’s business,” Kaede said.   
  
“First thing tomorrow, I will wake you up early!” Ishimaru declared. “That will be the first step for you!”   
  
“What did I just say? Don’t wake me up early for no reason!” Kaede exclaimed. 

She had half a mind to storm away right then and there, but then her stomach started growling, then Ishimaru’s stomach followed a moment after. Stopping the conversation for the time being, Kaede went to the dining hall with him. 

Once they got a plate of food and sat down, Kaede decided to try another topic.   
  
“So Ishimaru, what kind of hobbies-”   
  
“Don’t talk with your mouth full!” Ishimaru immediately cut in.   
  
“What is with you? I know it’s gross to talk while eating, but I don’t need you reminding me of it,” Kaede said, sighing. “I just want to talk with you!”   
  
“You just want to talk? Well, um…” Ishimaru was at a total loss for words.   
  
“Wait, could it be? Do you not talk with people that often?” It was a feeling she was getting, from his behavior.   
  
“After I’ll the time I’ve spent studying, it’s true that I haven’t talked with many of my classmates,” Ishimaru admitted. “Not at my old school, and not at Hope’s Peak either.”   
  
“Maybe people didn’t want to talk with you because you kept yelling at them over every little thing,” Kaede said.   
  
“But I’m a member of the disciplinary committee! It’s my job to make sure that the student body is on their best behavior!” Ishimaru said, dismayed.   
  
“This isn’t your school! It’s not even a school in the first place,” Kaede pointed out. “So maybe you can relax for a change? No one’s making you do this.”   
  
“I want to do it! Is it really so unwelcome?” Tears started forming in Ishimaru’s eyes. “What am I supposed to do, then?” 

“Don’t cry! All I was saying is that you can do whatever you want now!” Kaede exclaimed. 

It took a while, but Kaede did manage to get Ishimaru to stop crying. 

Which was fortunate, because Kaito entered the dining hall not long after. “There you guys are! You’re the last ones to hear about the plan for tomorrow!” 

“Oh, so you have a plan! You can be pretty decisive, Kaito,” Kaede said.   
  
“Tomorrow, all sixteen of us are going to meet up in the dining hall,” Kaito said. “And once we do, we’re all going to drink hot chocolate together!”  
  
Ishimaru immediately perked up. “Hot chocolate would be perfect for weather like this! And the experience will surely increase our bonds!” 

“I knew my sidekick would pick up on it!” Kaito said, sending Ishimaru a thumbs up. 

“I didn’t even know this place had hot chocolate. But I can see why it would be a good idea to do that,” Kaede said thoughtfully. “So sure, I’m all for that!”   
  
*ding dong, bing bong* 

“Looks like the day’s over already.” Kaede had been unsure of what to do with herself, when she woke up this morning. 

But Kaito, Tenko, Chiaki, and even Miu had all tried to do something, either about their situation or to help someone else. For most of today, Kaede had wandered around in a daze.   
  
_ Monokuma was unusually quiet today. So he must be planning something. So if nothing else, I can make sure everyone else’s hard work isn’t for nothing! _

**Monokuma Theater**

Certain medium can present certain difficulties. For example, in a video game what happens depends on how competent the player is. So for idiots, no one ever gets everywhere! 

But in a writing exclusive media like books, you are deprived of so much! You can’t even see me talking with you right now. Isn’t that just tragic?

Then there’s movies. All the visuals, but with no option but to sit there and shout at the screen. Of course, some people make a living off of it. 

But it seems like no matter what medium you consume, you lose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have two questions for my readers. First of all, do you want to keep seeing FTEs with Ishimaru, or do you want to see someone else? Let me know in the comments. The second thing is that my team needs a new artist. Would anyone be interested in joining this project? Anyone that wishes to apply, contact me at my Discord: Snowthefirst#3556. I hope you all enjoyed the return of this story. See you next time! Please review.


	5. Chapter 1, Daily Life III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's the next daily life chapter! And this is when things start to heat up, so I hope you find this at least a little exciting. Enjoy, my readers!

Not long after everyone finished breakfast, Monokuma’s voice came over the speakers.   
  
“All students please gather in the auditorium. It’s time to make a very important announcement!”   
  
When several students did start to head out, Miu yelled, “Are you fuckers really going to obey every word like a herd of stupid puppies?”   
  
“It’s not like we want to listen to him,” Sayaka said. “But as long as Monokuma has that Exisal, we can’t really defy him either.”   
  
“Ugh, I know that! Still, you can’t expect me to do all the work around here! Grow some damn spines!” Miu exclaimed.   
  
“What have you done, Miss Miu Iruma?” Hifumi asked. “For an inventor, you haven’t really shown any inventions.”   
  
“There’s isn’t anything to work with, you fat slob,” Miu said sneered defensively. 

“Okay, that’s enough,” Rantaro said. “This isn’t getting anything done. For now, let’s go to the auditorium. We can argue all we want later.”   
  
Kaede wanted to thank him for finally putting an end to Miu’s tirade. But even now, a few days later, just looking at Rantaro made her voice die in her throat. 

“If you need someone with you, I’ll help!”   
  
Kaede started at the sound of the voice, only to find that it was from Tenko.   
  
“I know you have your… reasons for not approaching Rantaro,” Tenko continued. “But I can tell that you want to make up with him too!”   
  
“It’s not that simple, Tenko. What I did was unforgivable!” Kaede said. “In fact, I don’t know how you can talk with me after almost getting everyone executed.”

A thoughtful expression came over Tenko’s face. “If there’s anything I’ve learned, Kaede, it’s that people can be really complicated. So I don’t want you to throw away your second chance!”   
  
“I’ll keep that in mind, then.” For now, Kaede followed everyone else. 

Once all sixteen of them grouped into the auditorium, there was a tense silence. In the next moment, Monokuma appeared at the podium in the very back.  
  
“With so many killers in the same place, I thought for sure that this Grand Killing Game would be off to a bloody start. Instead, it’s just been so boring!” Monokuma shouted.

“Yeah, well screw you! We aren’t here to entertain you!” Kaito said. 

“Never mind what you’re here for, at least for right now. It’s important that the killings begin,” Monokuma said. His red eye glowed with malice. “And to make sure that happens, I will now give the first motive!”   
  
Everyone in the room reacted to those words. Of the more visible reactions, Sayaka went pale as a sheet, Nagito started grinning madly, and Rantaro crossed his arms and became more focused.

“There is a grand prize for a successful Blackened that I’m... not ready to reveal yet,” Monokuma said. “However, I am willing to sweeten the pot with an extra reward. So for the Blackened that successfully gets away with murder, I will…”   
  
When Monokuma didn’t continue right away, Ryoma said, “Trying to build suspense? I see you’re still just as tasteless as always.”   
  
“Hmph! I suppose should have expected this from you bunch of ingrates. Then I’ll cut to the chase- for a successful Blackened, I will completely remove their Ultimate Talent!”   
  
All the fear and anticipation that had pervaded the room suddenly vanished, replaced with a single question.

“...Why? Why would wanting to lose your Ultimate Talent drive someone to murder?” Kaede asked.   
  
“Ah, like an artist before their time, my motives are never appreciated,” Monokuma said, sounding immensely proud of himself. 

“You must be losing your touch. Everyone here is proud of their Ultimate Talent!” Kaito declared. “You should accept that this Killing Game is nothing but a big dud!” 

“That’s a dangerous line of thinking. I don’t want to imagine anyone here killing,” Chiaki said, worried. “But we can’t just write off this motive as meaningless.” 

“You worry too much, Nanami,” Kaito said, waving the point away.   
  
“I’m inclined to agree with Momota-san,” Nagito said, his eyes shining. “Our Ultimate Talents are what makes us special. They elevate us above the common trash! So I can’t imagine what scum would want to throw that away!”   
  
The more that Kaede listened to this, the more that she grew concerned. The fanatical way that this conversation was going didn’t sit right with her. 

_ Could this be why Monokuma suggested this motive? To trick us into killing to keep our talents? _

“Such a motive would mean nothing to me. I turned my back on tennis a long time ago,” Ryoma said. “However, I agree with Chiaki that the motive could be significant to someone. Not everyone sees their talent the same way.”  
  
“You’re still the same tennis player you’ve always been Ryoma. You just don’t know it,” Kaito said. 

“So you believe your beliefs apply to everyone else to this room? What folly,” Korekiyo said. “Are you sure you want to shut yourself away from this reality?”  
  
“Okay, that’s enough yammering!” Monokuma cut in. “You have your motive. Now I look forward to seeing the first murder.”  
  
Monokuma disappeared, leaving everyone in the room to wonder about this new development. 

“See, that wasn’t so bad,” Kaito said, grinning. “And our plan for today is still on! So I’m going to make some preparations, and later we’re going to meet up and drink hot chocolate together!”   
  
“I’m going to help you!” Ishimaru exclaimed.   
  
“Since you were all bitching about it, I’m going to see if I can’t make an invention to make you all cream your pants!” Miu declared. “Follow me, Maizono.”   
  
“I will, if only to see how this ends,” Sayaka said, walking behind Miu.   
  
Everyone else in the room left for their own personal business as well. Kaede considered to herself where she would be the most useful. 

_ A morale boost is always important! I would play the October Waltz for everyone if there was a piano here. Since there’s not, the next best thing is to help with Kaito’s idea! _

Kaede went to the dining hall, where in the kitchen area Kaito and Ishimaru were bustling about, and volunteered herself.   
  
Which is how Kaede ended up helping Ishimaru collect wooden mugs and setting them out on the dining hall table.   
  
After that, they were taking a break. Ishimaru looked at Kaede, as if he wanted to say something, but didn’t know how to put it. 

Kaede decided to be the first to say something. “Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot. I know you meant well, but you need to think about if the person you’re talking to wants to listen to your advice first.”

Ishimaru’s shoulders slumped. “Until I met Momota, I only had one other friend. But no sooner than I was starting to get to know him, he turned out to be a Blackened! And then… and then…!” 

Ishimaru was crying again, but this time his fists were clenched. “I couldn’t do anything! I was useless!”   
  
“Is that… is that why you’re so hung up on what other people do? Because you’re afraid that’s going to happen again?” Kaede asked.   
  
“I really do want everyone to reach their full potential!” Ishimaru quickly said. “But I guess you aren’t entirely wrong either.”   
  
Now Kaede found she didn’t know what to say. _ I’m a Blackened myself, so I’d be a hypocrite if I said anything about Ishimaru’s former friend. But I’m not sure what else to say. _

“How about this? I do want to be your friend,” Kaede finally said. “But I also want you to be more relaxed. So we’ll do something fun together!”   
  
“Really? Like what?” Ishimaru asked.   
  
“Uh, well… give me some time to think about it!” Kaede said, realizing to her own embarrassment that she hadn’t thought that through.

Not long after, Kaito ordered them to start gathering people in the dining hall. Kaede and Ishimaru wandered around the snow-covered plains, finding their different classmates scattered about. 

In between trips, Kaede got an idea. “Hey, Ishimaru. Could you listen for a second?” 

When she was sure that she had his attention, Kaede started humming. 

“Are you… trying to make music?” Ishimaru asked, his tone uncertain.

“Yes, I am! In fact, I want you to guess what music it is!” Kaede kept humming, a little louder this time. 

“It sounds like… Mozart,” Ishimaru said, concentrating on Kaede. “Could it be… Sonata number 16?”  
  
“That’s exactly right! Wow, I’m impressed,” Kaede said. “I didn’t expect you to get it right on your first try.”   
  
“Studying the cultures of other countries is important!” Ishimaru exclaimed, smiling. “You learn to be more open-minded to other points of view!”   
  
“You still don’t need to be so formal- I almost did it again,” Kaede said sheepishly. “Okay, I’ll try and be more open-minded. What else have you learned from studying?”   
  
“I’d be happy to tell you!” 

Before Ishimaru could elaborate, they reached the next few classmates they had to bring to the dining hall. Soon, all their attention was on that task, and before they knew it, it was time for them to go there too.   
  
Once all sixteen of them were gathered in the dining hall, Junko immediately said, “Are we really doing this? Standing around and drinking hot chocolate in some disgusting attempt to bond?”   
  
I know not if you are the bravest human to walk the earth, or the most foolish,” Gundham added. “Either way, I am not so easily swayed!”   
  
“I don’t like sweets. So I’d like to decline the hot chocolate,” Peko said.   
  
“Take it anyways! The hot chocolate is only part of the experience,” Kaito said, pushing it into Peko’s hands.   
  
“You know, I’m starting to wonder if you’ve ever listened to another person in your entire life,” Junko said, amused.   
  
“I’m not sure Kaito even listens to himself talk,” Tenko said, deadpan. 

Nonetheless, it didn’t talk long for everyone to get a mug, and sit down around the table.   
  
Kaede took a sip, and had to admit that it made her feel better after these past few days.   
  
Then, Kaito started speaking- not only that, but in a much softer voice. “Okay, everything’s perfect. Now it’s time for us to make our plan.”   
  
“This is all part of a plan? What kind of plan?” Tsumugi asked.   
  
“Shh! Not so loud! We can’t let Monukuma hear us!” Kaito said. He put his mug near his lips. “That’s the real reason for the hot chocolate. The steam will cover our lips.”

Looking around, Kaede did notice that the thick steam from the hot chocolate covered the lower half of everyone’s faces.   
  
“I see. I assume that means you have a plan to escape,” Rantaro said, cutting to the chase. 

“Exactly! Now, Monokuma’s main weapon is his indestructible Exisal,” Kaito said. “Our main advantage is that there are sixteen of us, and only one of him. So we can use that to take Monukuma’s advantage away from him!”   
  
“If I’m not wrong about what you’re implying, that’s a very dangerous idea!” Kaede said. “And it’s probably breaking the rules. Are you sure…?”   
  
“If we spend all our time worrying about the rules, we’ll never escape!” Kaito whispered urgently. “So, here’s the plan. Tomorrow, after breakfast, I’ll leave this place first. Then all of you leave in groups.”

“Question. Why are you acting like we’ve already agreed to this?” Junko asked. 

Kaito ignored this. “Then, all of you call on Monokuma and talk to him. It doesn’t matter about what- just waste his time. And before anyone brings it up, I’m sure there’s no rule against this.”

“So, a distraction. I assume you have a reason to ask this of us,” Rantaro said. “What are you doing, then?”

“I was getting to that! While Monokuma is occupied, I will sneak into the auditorium,” Kaito explained. “And I will sneak behind that curtain, and steal his Exsial!” 

Hifumi spit his hot chocolate all over himself. “You whhaaaat?!” Is that even possible?” 

“It’s not, and I would now that better than anyone,” Miu said. “Those Exisals have an electronic lock on them that keep people from just taking them for a joy ride. Before, I could have invented something to bust that lock- but Monokuma claims that this new Exisal is immune to that!” 

“That’s why it has to be done like this! If that Exisal is really being kept behind that curtain, there’s a chance that there’s a way to open it manually there too,” Kaito said. “And that’s a chance I’ll take if it means keeping even one of you from dying!”

“Okay, let’s say somehow this all works out the way you want,” Tenko said, looking at Kaito dubiously. “What are you going to do with the Exisal after?”  
  
“Break down the walls so we can all escape, of course!” Kaito declared confidently. 

“A reckless, blind leap of faith that could lead to all of us escaping, or all of us being executed,” Junko said, drooling. “Oh, I am on the edge of my seat! I can’t wait to see how this goes!”   
  
“Don’t act like you’re not coming with us, Enoshima,” Kaito said. “Okay, that should be everything. Let’s all go our separate ways, and act normal!”   
  
Everyone got up from the dining hall table, some of them still sipping their hot chocolate, while Hifumi had to clean himself off. Kaito approached Peko, who was leaving.   
  
“Pekoyama! Once we’re done with tomorrow, let’s train together,” Kaito said. “If you want to train with Tenko too, we can all train together!”

“...Momota. I have a feeling that you’re used to people being swept up in your charisma. So, what will you do if I say no?” Peko asked. 

“We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other soon,” Kaito said. “You’ll make up your mind to train with me eventually!”   
  
“As insane as your plan is, you’re actually the kind of person that would go through with it. As for your offer… I’ll consider it,” Peko said. Without another word, she left. 

“I believe I know what’s going on with Pekoyama,” Kaito said to Kaede, who had been watching. “She needs guidance in her life!”   
  
“It does seem like she’s… lost, for lack of a better way to describe it,” Kaede said. “You know, if she became friends with you and Tenko, it would help her out a lot!”   
  
“Just leave it to me!” Kaito said, grinning proudly.

Kaede decided to go to bed for the day, to make sure she was rested for tomorrow. Yet with her head spinning with thoughts, it took awhile for Kaede to finally drift off to sleep. 

**Monokuma Theater **

Long time fans of Danganronpa could probably guess what’s going to happen next. For most fans, this is the meat and potatoes of the experience!   
  
Buuuut, I’m sure there are some weirdos out there that would prefer if things remained peaceful and boring like this forever.   
  
To those people, do you *really* want that? To watch these students laze their days away, never having to worry about anything?   
  
So much would be flushed down the drain if I ran things like that! So much heart pounding excitement, so many intriguing mysteries, gone just like that!

If you stick around long enough, you’ll appreciate why this Killing Game is necessary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guess of what's going to happen next chapter would be very welcome. I'd also like to say that I'm still searching for an artist for the team. Regardless of what happens, the next chapter will arrive within two days. See you next time! Please review.


	6. Chapter 1, Daily life IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize that this chapter is a couple days late from when I promised it. I hope that when everyone reaches the end of the chapter, you'll realize why there was a need to delay it. Enjoy, my readers!

Truth be told, Kaede didn’t sleep well the previous night. Her mind kept going over possibility of Kaito’s plan, how it could succeed, and how it could fail.    
  
Unavoidably, Kaede’s mind wandered to the time when Monokuma instigated a countdown. Every one of Kaede’s fellow classmates becoming more and more tense. Ryoma offering his life it meant preserving everyone else. Kaito trying to help Kaede keep everyone together, in a futile effort.    
  
Leading up to Kaede deciding to make her own, fatal decision… 

_ Letting myself get dragged down by this is probably exactly what Monokuma wants. Besides, this time is different. We are doing this on our terms!  _ _   
_ _   
_ Even with Monokuma’s ability to keep everyone under surveillance, it was possible that he didn’t know about what Kaito had planned. In which case, the plan also had the element of surprise.    
  
__ It’s going to be some time before Kaito puts his plan into motion. What should I do? I know Tenko suggested that I talk with Rantaro, but I feel like I need to prepare myself for that. Come to think of it, I’ve been talking with Ishimaru a lot lately. 

Kaede left her bedroom, and went looking for the other boy. He turned out to be just outside the dormitory. “Greetings, Akamatsu! I am getting some fresh air to start my day right!”    
  
“That’s a good idea! I think I’ll join you.” Standing next to Ishimaru, Kaede took a few deep breaths, and her mind grew sharper thanks to the crisp, cold air. Kaede  began to  feel much better  after . 

“Akamatsu, may I say something?” Ishimaru asked.    
  
“Sure! Say whatever you like,” Kaede said, smiling. 

“Maybe you were right before. Maybe I do push people too hard,” Ishimaru said dejectedly. “I truly do want everyone to reach their best! But maybe my help isn’t needed or wanted…”   
  
“I need to say something too, then,” Kaede said. “I was too harsh on you before, Ishimaru. It’s true that sometimes you were too nosy, but I do feel that you’re a good person. I wouldn’t mind if you gave me advice in the future.”   
  
“Do you really mean that… Kaede?” Ishimaru asked.    
  
“Yes, I do! If it’s okay, can I call you Kiyotaka, then?” Kaede asked in turn.    
  
“My classmates call me Taka!” Ishimaru said,  beaming . “And if we’re friends now, it would be nice if you called me that!”    
  
“Then it’s official! We’re friends now, Taka!” Kaede exclaimed. “Oh, and it would be nice if we also spent time together like we did the other day. I would like it if you relaxed every so often.”    
  
“I’ll try my best. And if we can, let’s continue being friends after we escape from this Killing Game.” Ishimaru said.    
  
“Of course we will! Because I’m going to make sure you, and everyone else makes it out of this alive!” Kaede declared. 

_ And I feel a strong bond with Ishimaru. His sense of determination resonates inside of me.  _

This conversation with Ishimaru did leave Kaede feeling warm inside. With that warm feeling, Kaede felt that she could tackle the conversation with Rantaro.    
  
Leaving the dormitory, Kaede went looking for Rantaro. She found him heading towards the dining hall.    
  
“Hello, Kaede. Are you here to prepare for the grand plan?” Rantaro asked. “Or perhaps, is there a reason why you need to talk with me personally?”    


“Yes, I do. It’s about our… the last game,” Kaede said. “Are you one of the people that remember how they died?”    
  
“So that’s what this is about. Yes, I do remember clearly,” Rantaro said. “And is what you’re going to say next is ‘I’m the one that killed you’?”    


For a moment Kaede reared back in surprise. Then, with a sad expression on her face, Kaede said, “So you knew all along. I’m the one that took your life, and I’m the one responsible for so many of us being here.”    
  
“Believe me, I know what it feels like to have a burden as heavy as the one that you are currently carrying,” Rantaro said, crossing his arms. “Which is why I can say that you are not responsible, Kaede. Not for my death, and not for anything else that happened after.”    
  
“What are you talking about?! I’m the one that killed you! I’m a terrible person!” Kaede shouted. “I put all our classmates in danger!”    
  
“I won’t try and convince you to not take on responsibility for what happened. At least, not yet,” Rantaro said, his expression unreadable. “We will end this conversation at another point, Kaede. Once I learn much more about the nature of what happened last time, and what’s going on this time.”    
  
“Could you tell me what you’re talking about?” Kaede asked, confused.    
  
“Not yet. After all, while I remember my death, after all this time, I still don’t remember my talent.” Rantaro’s face darkened. “So I don’t believe anyone would believe me anyways.”    
  
“Rantaro, wait!” Despite Kaede’s call, Rantaro walked on. “What a strange conversation. But if nothing else, he doesn’t seem to hate me for what I did.”    
  
Thinking carefully about the exchange they just had, Kaede said to herself, “And Rantaro said something about knowing what it’s like to carry a burden. I wonder what that’s about?”   
  
_ In the end, that wasn’t as hard as I thought it was. But it’s all the more reason why I should do what I can for Kaito’s plan, so we can all escape as soon as possible! _

Going into the dining hall, she was met with quite the sight- Junko with her arm around Sakaya, with the most dejected expression on her face. 

“This morning is gray. This dining hall is gray. Everything is gray…” Junko said in a monotone. 

“Do I even want to know what’s going on here?” Kaede asked, deadpan. 

“Abandon your futile pursuit, maiden,” Gundham said, contempt on his expression as he watched Junko. “The thought processes of this foul creature are beyond mortals such as yourself.”    
  
“Foul indeed. Enoshima might be emanating one of the most rotten auras I have ever encountered,” Korekiyo added.

_ Geez. Now I’m starting to feel sorry for Enoshima, with how everyone has been dog-piling on her.  _ _   
_ __   
“Someone please help me!” Sayaka called out, looking uncomfortable at how Junko clinged to her.    
  
Tenko entered the dining hall. “I heard that someone needed help! So you want me to get Junko off of you, Maizono?”    
  
Tenko went over, and wrenched Junko’s arm off of Sayaka. Suddenly, Junko wrapped her arms around Tenko, and shoved her head in Tenko’s chest.

“Um, I don’t think this situation is improving,” Ishimaru said. “Should one of us help Tenko now?”   
  
“No, not just yet. We must see if Tenko’s strength is up to the task,” Hifumi said, breathing heavily and staring intently at the two girls.

“Keep talking and the next thing I do is go over there and punch you in the face,” Tenko snapped at Hifumi. With great effort, Tenko pushed Junko off herself. 

Junko got back up with no visible reaction to being pushed. With unsteady steps, Junko walked away, leaving the dining hall. 

“Thank you very much for your help, Tenko,” Sayaka said, sighing in relief.   
  
“Anytime, Maizono! Whenever you need me, all you need to do is call!” Tenko exclaimed cheerfully.    
  
“So what the fuck was her problem?” Miu asked. 

“There is a very tense feeling in the air,” Ryoma said. “Everyone handles it in a different way. Enoshima is apparently not handling it well.”

“Don’t say dreary things like that! Everything is going to work out!” Kaito exclaimed. “So, what does everyone want to do with their day?”

“I’m still helping Iruma with making an invention, but it’s slow going,” Sayaka answered.    
  
“I’ve said this already, but there’s nothing here to work with!” Miu yelled, scowling. “If you’re going to be my assistant, you need to be more useful than this!”    
  
“I’ll try and think of something,” Sayaka said.    
  
“You better do more than think,” Miu said, grumbling under her breath. 

“Tanaka and I are planning to find the center of this snowfield, and channel the forces of the universe,” Hifumi said. 

“Between the dark forces housed between our fragile shells, we should be able to channel a demon from the hottest pit of hell,” Gundham added. “Because even I, the Overlord of Ice, can only tolerate this chill for so long.” 

“How exciting!” Tsumugi exclaimed. “Maybe if you summon a powerful enough demon, they can bust through the wall for us!”    
  
“That’s enough of this demon nonsense!” Kaito shouted, suddenly pale in the face. “There’s no such thing!” 

“So even you aren’t entirely fearless, Momota. How interesting,” Nagito said, a mysterious grin on his face. 

“Me and Pekoyama are going to do the same thing we did yesterday, and spar together!” Tenko declared. “In my opinion, it doesn’t hurt to be ready for anything.” 

“Keeping active will also help my mind keep active as well,” Peko said quietly. 

“I am content to remain here for the time being,” Korekiyo said, sipping a cup of tea. “I have my own theories on what’s happening, but I need time to think them over.” 

“I think I’ll stay with you,” Rantaro said. “Let’s leave the running around for other people.”    
  
“I hear that. All of you can do whatever you want,” Ryoma said, pulling his hat over his eyes. “As long as you leave me out of it.”

From Chiaki, there was nothing but the sound of snoring, since the girl had managed to fall asleep while sitting up.    
  
“Then Ishimaru and I are going to make one last search for clues,” Kaito said, punching his fists together. “And if I find something, I’ll be sure to shout as loud as I can to let everyone know!”    
  
While no one reacted verbally, everyone’s attention turned slightly towards Kaito. It appeared this would be his signal that the plan was in motion.    
  
“If that’s all, then I’ll be off!” Kaito said. “Follow me, Ishimaru.” 

“Right away, Momota!” The two of them exited the dining hall shortly after. 

At this point, all there was to do was wait. Kaede wasn’t satisfied with this, however. It seemed like most people would leave soon on their own business, but luckily the person she wanted to talk to was going to stay put.    
  
“Korekiyo! I want to ask you something,” Kaede said, as she approached the taller man.    
  
“Ask, and I will answer to the best of my ability,” Korekiyo said, still drinking. 

“In myths, what have you heard about blue lights?” Kaede asked. 

“My apologies, Kaede, but you’ll have to be more specific than that.” Korekiyo said.

Recalling the mysterious blue glow in the equally mysterious room, Kaede said, “Well, I was thinking about a floating blue flame, with a kind of spiral pattern.”    
  
“Ah. You are referring to the Hitodama,” Korekiyo said, closing his eyes. “Those flames are meant to represent the wandering spirits of the dead. Of course, there is so much more I could say about them. Why do you ask?”   
  
“The best way I can put it is that it’s related to our current situation,” Kaede said.    
  
Korekiyo’s eyes looked up, at the glowing blue camera looking down at them. “I see. Right now, there’s no way to know if you observation is meaningful, or part of a crude mockery.”   
  
“Hey! Are you really calling all my hard work a crude mockery?” Monokuma exclaimed, appearing out of nowhere.   
  
“Ahhhh!” Kaede screamed. “Why are you here?!” 

“Because you’ve just been rambling worthlessly for a while now,” Monokuma said. “Instead of speculating, you could ask me what something means if you don’t know.”   
  
“In that case, for what purpose did you make the cameras glow like the Hitodama?” Korekiyo asked. 

"This Killing Game deals with matters of life and death,” Monokuma answered. “There are all the formerly dead students that are playing this game. Then there are the lives that everyone is so desperately trying to get back.” 

“Then that might be related to whoever is watching this,” Kaede said. “I wonder who…” 

“That’s enough!” Monokuma shouted angrily. “If you want to learn more, then kill someone already! This is really starting to drag on!”   
  
“I don’t care what you think, Monokuma,” Kaede said, scowling at him. “If you aren’t going to say anything helpful, then leave!”   
  
“Even after what happened last time, you still have that defiant attitude of yours,” Monokuma said, glowering. “It seems like I’ll have to try harder to break it.”   
  
Monokuma left, leaving everyone else looking at Kaede and Korekiyo. Even Chiaki had roused from her nap. 

“So there is some sort of higher purpose behind the cameras,” Chiaki said thoughtfully. “You did well in gaining that information, Shinguji.” 

“‘Turn the other cheek.’ Proverbs such as those persist throughout human history,” Korekiyo said. “Most of the time to teach about the power of forgiveness. Another way to see it is that holding your tongue briefly can trick someone into letting theirs spill too much.”   
  
“The way you say that is almost scary,” Kaede said, sweating. 

As the conversation drew to a close, Kaede found that she’d started tapping her fingers impatiently on the table. Kaito hadn’t said how long he would take, and almost everyone else had left the dining hall at some point, leaving only Kaede, Korekiyo, Chiaki, Rantaro, and Ryoma. 

“It sounds like you are tapping some kind of rhythm,” Chiaki said to Kaede. “Is it music that you’ve played before?” 

“It is, but not any kind of official music,” Kaede said. “It’s a tune that I composed for fun.”    
  
“It’s was a very tense rhythm. It makes me wonder what you’d be like at rhythm games. You might be able to beat those insanely fast levels!” Chiaki said,  excited at the prospect.   
  
“I may be a piano player, but you’re the Ultimate Gamer! Your fingers are probably a lot faster than mine!” Kaede exclaimed.    
  
“Speed isn’t as important as dexterity, so you’ve probably…” Chiaki stopped, and sniffed the air. “Do you smell something?” 

Kaede sniffed the air too. “Yes, it smells like something is… burning. Where is that coming from?”  
  
Looking around, Kaede noticed smoke coming from the kitchen area of the dining hall. Peeking inside, she saw that someone had dumped a bunch of wooden mugs on the floor- and lit them on fire.  
  
Kaede became aware that she was now screaming on top of her lungs, and everyone else in the dining hall had now joined her.   
  
“If this is supposed to be someone’s idea of a joke, it’s not very funny,” Ryoma said dryly. 

“Don’t just stand there! We have to put out fire!” Kaede cried out. She rushed towards the kitchen sink and pulled the tap. No water came out of the sink.

“This is odd. The water was working fine when I was preparing my tea earlier.” Korekiyo said.    
  
“I think we have bigger problems to worry about. This entire building is made out of wood,” Rantaro pointed out. “So if we don’t put this out, it will all go up in smoke.” 

“The sink may not be working, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have water,” Chiaki said. “In fact, we have more than we need.”    
  
“Wait, are you talking about the snow outside? That’s a brilliant idea, Chiaki!” Kaede exclaimed. She rushed outside, and grabbed a clump of snow with her bare hands. It then occurred to her that a handful wouldn’t be enough.    
  
“Everyone who can hear me, grab some snow and come to the dining hall’s kitchen at once!” Kaede called out.    
  
Rushing back inside, Kaede threw her handful of snow on the burning pile of mugs. It put out some of the flames, but the rest had spread to the wooden floor at this point. 

The other people that had been in the dining hall threw snow onto the flame as well, shrinking it. Then Hifumi, Gundham, and Tsumugi rushed in and dumped a large amount of snow onto the fire.    
  
This, thankfully, was enough to put out the fire. As soon as Kaede made sure nothing was seriously damaged, she said, “Okay, who’s the one that set this fire?”   
  
No one answered, and after a long pause Korekiyo chuckled. “The culprit behind this arson will not reveal themselves so easily, of course. That’s why they did their crime in the fashion that they did.”    
  
“At this point, there is no way to know who planned this. It could be anyone that was in the dining hall at some point this morning,” Chiaki said, frowning. “Which doesn’t even answer why they would do this.”    
  
“Ugh. This is the last thing we need right now,” Kaede said, sighing. “We can figure out who did this later, then.”   
  
“Our efforts to summon a demon appears to have gone awry,” Gundham said, crossing his arms. “The flames were meant to manifest far from all life.”    
  
“That’s not going to help figure out-”    
  
Kaede’s deadpan remark was cut off by the sound of a loud scream tearing through the air. 

“AAAAAAAHHHHHH!” The scream, filled with horror, continued to ring in everyone’s ears.    
  
“That sounds like Mister Ishimaru,” Hifumi said, his face pale.   
  
After the fire scare that passed a few minutes ago, Kaede didn’t want to take any chances. “Okay, everyone here, let’s go see what happened to him!”    
  
Exiting the dining hall, the group headed towards the sound that Isihimaru’s voice had come from. Ishimaru turned out to be near the shed, and near him was… 

_ _

_ My mind refused to accept what my eyes were seeing. It’s impossible. It has to be impossible.  _ _   
_ _   
_ __ I can’t be seeing Kaito’s body in front of me. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The body discovery art was done by the team's new artist, Dreamganronpa. Next time, the investigation into the first murder starts. So I look forward to everyone's theories on what happened. See you next time! Please review.


	7. Chapter 1, Deadly Life I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am proud to be able to present the other half of Chapter 1 to everyone! As with every Danganronpa mystery, there are clues that may be true or false. I leave it to the readers to discern which are which. Enjoy!

**Chapter 1**

** **

*ding dong, bing bong* 

The chime seemed to echo mockingly around the snowfield, as the other students gathered around Kaito’s body. Monokuma’s voice followed. 

“A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time, which you may use however you wish, a class trial will be held.”    
  
_ Is this… is this really happening? Someone really… killed Kaito?  _ __   
__   
“Get up! Even for someone as insensitive as you, this is too much!” Tenko cried out, pale as a sheet. “Get up already, Kaito!” 

“He has gone to where your words won’t reach him,” Korekiyo said. “It looks like the motive was significant to someone after all. Ke he he… it’s almost poetic.” 

“Wasn’t Kaito your classmate? Why would you say something like that?” Sayaka asked indignantly. 

By now Ishimaru had stopped screaming, but if anything this was more concerning: now he was dead silent, and seemed to be staring off into nothing. 

“So, the killing has begun. You all realize that this is bad, right?” Junko asked calmly. “There’s someone here that’s trying to kill you all!” 

“Thaaaat’s riiiiight!” Monokuma exclaimed as he popped up out of nowhere. “As of right now, this is a deathmatch between every student, and the Blackened!” 

“Ah ha ha ha ha! Exactly! Our collective hope will clash against the strong hope of Kaito’s killer!” Nagito said, his eyes shining madly. 

“And what is this ‘strong hope’ that the killer could have?” Ryoma asked. 

“It’s simple. We all came to our… agreement yesterday,”Nagito said. “So for the Blackened to break that agreement means they must have had a compelling reason.” 

_ I think I know what Komaeda is talking about! We all agreed to escape with Kaito’s plan. So for someone to change their mind overnight…  _

“Monokuma…” Ishimaru’s voice interrupted Kaede’s train of thought. “You said that you managed to bring us all back from the dead, right?” 

“Oh? Are you going to start doubting that again?” Monokuma asked.    
  
“If you really did do that, then bring him back. Bring Momota back!” Ishimaru shouted.    
  
“And why would I do that, stupid!” Monokuma shouted back. “I brought everyone back for this killing game! But why would I resurrect someone that went and got himself killed?” 

“WHHHHHHYYYY?!” Ishimaru cried out, tears pouring down his face. 

“Enough about that loser! Now that we have our first murder, we need to hold the first class trial,” Monokuma said. “And before that, the rest of you need to collect all the clues!” 

_ So there’s no way to stop this. We need to find Kaito’s killer, or we’re all going to die.  _

**Investigation Start**

“The first clue that everyone receives is the Monokuma file! It’s a comprehensive set of information about the victim!” Monokuma said proudly. “Any clues beyond that, you have to find yourself.”

Everyone’s Monopads beeped, and Kaede took hers out of her backpack and looked at it. 

**The victim is Kaito Momota, the Ultimate Astronaut. He was found outside the storage shed. His cause of death was a fall from a forty-foot drop, and his time of death was at 11:00 a.m.**

The rest of the file contained Kaito’s height and weight, but Kaede wasn’t sure why it would matter to know this. 

**Monokuma File #1 added the Truth Bullets **

“And that’s all the help I can give. See you all at the class trial!” After Monokuma left, the rest of the students were left to wonder what to make of them information provided to them. 

“Excuse me!” Tenko exclaimed. “There’s something I want to know about the how Kaito died!”    
  
“Go ahead and ask whatever you want,” Kaede said, wondering what she had in mind.    
  
“His cause of death was a fall. But where exactly did he fall from?” Tenko asked. “You can’t climb the walls, and there aren’t any cliffs around here.”   
  
“That’s a good question, Chabashira. We should make that a priority in the investigation,” Chiaki said. “Once we find that out, we have a focal point for this murder.”    
  
“Wow, you’ve clearly know what you’re doing!” Tsumugi exclaimed. “You must have been the hero of another story, Nanami!”   
  
“No, I was nothing like that,” Chiaki said softly. “I’m just another student. Everyone else is probably doing their best to solve the murder too.”    
  
“At this point, it would be best for us to split up and find clues in different places,” Rantaro said. “We can’t afford to miss anything.”   
  
“Fuck that noise!” Despite her harsh tone, Miu’s face was pale. “That stupid spacecase is dead, because someone backstabbed him! Are you seriously suggesting we work together at a time like this?”    
  
“Now is when it’s most important!” Kaede exclaimed. “If we don’t beat this trial, we all die!” 

“That’s rich coming from you, flat-tits!” Miu shouted. “If you’re the one leading the investigation, I want nothing to do with it!”    
  
“Miu, wait!” But the other girl stormed off before anyone could stop her.    
  
“...What was that about, Miss Akamatsu?” Hifumi asked curiously. 

“We can’t get distracted! We need to make it through the trial first!” Kaede didn’t know how to explain what Miu had been referring to. 

_ Because she does have a point. I’m the reason everyone was in danger of dying before.  _

The other students split off into different directions, and the ones that were left were Rantaro, Sayaka, Ishimaru, and Peko.

“There is something I’d like to confirm,” Peko said. “May I approach the body?”    
  
“Since we are here to watch you, I don’t see why not,” Rantaro said.    
  
Peko approached Kaito’s body on the sled. Then she lightly ran her fingers down his back, before patting anywhere she could reach. The sight gave Kaede chills, but she let Peko keep going.   
  
“...This was definitely a murder. There are two bruises on Momota’s back, where one would put their hands if they wanted to push him,” Peko eventually said. “And I can personally confirm that any fractures the body suffered are consistent with blunt trauma from a fall. No weapons were involved.” 

“In other words, the shovel that is laying a few feet away may be a trick by the killer,” Kaede said. “This is something to keep in mind.” 

**Notes On The Body added to the Truth Bullets**

“Ishimaru, can you talk with us?” Kaede asked, noticing that the boy had fallen silent again. 

There was no answer- it was as if Ishimaru had left his body entirely.    
  
“Please, I need you to tell us what you were doing when Kaito’s body was found,” Kaede pleaded. “Don’t you want to know what happened?”   


Still no answer, by which point Kaede became deeply worried.    
  
“I’ll take Taka to his room and let him rest,” Sayaka said. “Keep it up, Akamatsu, and I’ll catch up with you later!” 

Once they left, Kaede turned to Peko and Rantaro. “I am open to any further suggestions about the circumstances surrounding Kaito’s body.”

“You’re going to believe me? Just like that?” Peko asked. “How do you know I’m not lying?”    
  
“You could be lying. But doing that would only hurt you, because we’re all in this together,” Kaede pointed out.    
  
“Another way to put it is that we’re taking what you’re saying at face value, for the time being,” Rantaro said. “If you are lying, you’ll be the one to pay for it.”    
  
“You might be the most level-headed person I’ve met so far,” Peko said. “You’re a lot like Chiaki in that regard.”    
  
“Then between all of us, there shouldn’t be any problems,” Rantaro said, smiling. Then he focused on the scene of the murder. “That blanket seems to be from the dormitories. Can either of you think of somewhere else it could be from?”    
  
With how few locations there were, it didn’t take long for Kaede to review them. “No, I’m pretty sure you’re right, Rantaro.” 

**Blanket added to the Truth Bullets **

“Then there’s the sled. For the time being, we should assume that the Blackened carried Momota’s body on it,” Peko said thoughtfully. “That leaves the question of where they carried their body from.”

“And where they were going,” Kaede added. “Because the only thing in this area is the shed. Could the Blackened have planned to have stuffed the body into it?”   
  
“That’s an idea I hadn’t thought of, Kaede,” Rantaro said. “It’s definitely a possibility.” 

**Snow Sled added to the Truth Bullets**

“Thinking about what Tenko said earlier, the ladder could have been used,” Kaede said. “If there’s no cliffs anywhere, then Kaito could have climbed somewhere instead.” 

“That raises the question of why Momota would have climbed somewhere,” Peko said. “He was supposed to be in the middle of his plan to break everyone out.” 

_ That’s true. So then, why would Kaito stop his plan and use a ladder?  _

**Ladder added to the Truth Bullets**

“That seems to be everything that’s in this area,” Kaede said. She saw that there was a path that the sled had made that went off to somewhere else. 

“I see what you’re looking at, Kaede. You want to go investigate elsewhere,” Rantaro said. “I’ll stay to watch the body, in that case.”  
  
“Then I will stay as well. It would be best if there are at least two people to prevent any tampering with the body,” Peko said.

“Then before I leave, could you tell me what you were doing before the murder happened?” Kaede asked.    
  
“I was in the dining hall with you, Kaede,” Rantaro pointed out. “Though it’s smart of you to make sure.”    
  
“I spent my time in the auditorium, sparring with Chabashira,” Peko said. “Neither of us left until the announcement.”    
  
_ I should remember everyone’s accounts of their actions, and put it all together when I’m done.  _

“Then I’ll wrap up this investigation as soon as I can, so you won’t be stuck in the cold!” With those words, Kaede followed the sled path, to see where it would lead. 

The path ended at the large auditorium, and Kaede looked up. The roof of the building loomed above her, and when she compared it to the wall that was nearby, she noticed something. 

“This building is taller than the wall,” Kaede said to herself. “If you stood on the roof, you could see over it.”    
  
“Indeed, Miss Akamatsu. I’m thinking that it was a fatal view for Mister Momota.”    
  
“Ahhhhhh!” Kaede jumped back, and saw that it was Hifumi that had spoken. “Geez, don’t scare me like that!” 

“My apologies. But after hearing Miss Chabashira’s words, I went looking for the tallest building, and found this,” Hifumi said. 

“So you think that Kaito could have fallen off from here?” Kaede remembered something Hifumi and Gundham had a couple of days ago: That the ladder could be used to climb over the wall. 

“If you rest the ladder against the eaves of this building, you could reach the roof,” Hifumi said. “Of course the astronaut would find the highest place and claim it as his own!” 

“Now I wish I’d brought it with me. But maybe there’s another way to see if that happened.” Kaede walked around the perimeter. In the back of the building was more than enough proof, in the form of a small puddle of blood.    
  
“Ugh. Now I’m definitely not climbing onto the roof myself,” Kaede said, feeling ill. 

**Puddle Of Blood added to the Truth Bullets **

“I was right. Then, Momota’s killer could be one of those two,” Hifumi said, spotting the blood himself.    
  
“Who do you suspect?” Kaede asked.    
  
“It could be either Miss Pekoyama or Miss Chabashira!” Hifumi said, pointing his finger dramatically. “They were in the auditorium the whole time!” 

“I talked with Pekoyama about that, and she told me neither of them left the entire time,” Kaede said.    
  
“But then, if Momota did fall off from the roof of this building, wouldn’t one of them have heard… you know…” Hifumi seemed unable to finish his sentence. 

_ Heard Kaito hit the ground, you mean.  _ Kaede had to admit, Hifumi had a point. It was something to think about, even if Kaede didn’t want to suspect either of them.    
  
“So, where were you when the murder happened?” Kaede asked. 

“I and the Overlord of Ice were in the middle of this snowfield,” Hifumi said, going back to his dramatic tone. “Trying to melt all this snow with the fires of hell!”    
  
“I see. And did anyone pass through the entire time you guys were… doing whatever that was?” Kaede asked.    
  
“No one did! In fact, if you go to where we were standing, you will see that our sigil is still there, undisturbed!” Hifumi declared.    
  
“Thank you for that, I guess.” Kaede decided to at least confirm what she’d been told. Walking towards the center of the snowfield, she saw exactly what Hifumi described- some sort of magic sigil with a fire motif.    
  
“Okay, so that at least confirms that no one passed through the center of this place after Yamada and Tanaka got here,” Kaede said to herself. 

**Hifumi’s Account added to the Truth Bullets**

_ That weird lab area where we all came from is locked, so I don’t think anyone went in there. That leaves the dormitory and the dining hall. Wait, come to think of it, I never checked the inside of the auditorium either. What should I do? _

It felt like she was nowhere near done with the investigation into Kaito’s death. But she had to push on, for everyone’s sake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, chapters will be released once every two days. This is to give the readers time to consider everything and formulate their theories. This is a new experience for me too, so feedback is much appreciated. See you next time! Please review.


	8. Chapter 1, Deadly Life II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the second half of the investigation! Where Kaede explores the rest of the locations related to this case. What clues will she find in the process. Enjoy, my readers!

Of all the strange occurrences that happened this morning, the one that stuck out the most to Kaede was when someone burned a pile of mugs for no discernible reason. So, she decided that her next destination was the dining hall.   
  
As she entered, Kaede noticed that no one else was inside. _ Everyone is probably investigating somewhere else. Then I’ll investigate in here first! _

Kaede walked into the kitchen area, where the burnt mugs were still on the floor. Looking around she carefully studied the area to see if there was any clue as to what started the fire. 

Then she spotted something quite disconcerting- one of the stovetops was on, and had likely been burning for quite a while. 

**State Of The Kitchen added to the Truth Bullets**

Looking up, Kaede saw something she missed before. The kitchen had a fair-sized window. A person could probably stick the upper half of their body into it. 

However, the window was closed. And a glass teacup sat precariously on the windowsill. If someone tried to open the window, the teacup would fall on the floor and break. 

The very sight of the teacup bothered Kaede immensely. She couldn’t quite put her finger on why it bothered her so much. The sight just seemed wrong to her somehow. 

Kaede quickly checked her surroundings to make sure no one else was in the room. Then, she took the teacup, and slipped it into her backpack. 

**Teacup On The Windowsill added to the Truth Bullets (and Kaede’s backpack)**

The sound of the door to the dining hall opened, almost giving Kaede a heart attack. 

“Kaede. Are you in here?” Korekiyo’s voice came from the dining hall.

“I am! What are you doing here?” Kaede asked, feeling short of breath.

Korekiyo walked into the kitchen. “Everyone else was searching from where Kaito could have fallen, or are searching the dormitory and auditorium. I choose to investigate here, after remembering that strange fire.”  
  
“Looks like we were on the same wavelength, then. But why did it take longer for you to come in here?” Kaede asked.

“Because I also remembered that the sink was not working,” Korekiyo answered. “I know it was working at around 10:30, because I made myself tea at that time.”   
  
“So you were looking for the reason that the water stopped working. Does that mean that you found it?”   
  
“I did. On the outside wall of the dining hall, there is the main control unit for the electricity and water is located,” Korekiyo explained. “And someone sabotaged the water line.”   
  
**Korekiyo’s Account added to the Truth Bullets **

“There is a beauty to the killer’s crime,” Korekiyo said, the slightest smirk beneath his mask. “There are details of it that seemed to have been arranged far in advance.” 

“I know what you’re talking about, but please don’t talk like you admire the Blackened,” Kaede said, feeling ill at the very thought. “Oh, before I forget. The people that were in the dining hall the entire time were me, you, Rantaro, Ryoma, and Nanami, right?”   
  
“Yes, you are correct. That is about a third of the student body,” Korekiyo said thoughtfully. “Then are you drawing conclusions based on this information?”   
  
_ I am, but I’m not ready to share my thoughts yet. I need to confirm what everyone was at the time of the murder. _   
  
“I’ll wait for you to look around here, then we can go somewhere else together,” Kaede offered.   
  
“Not trusting me by myself near a critical scene of the crime? I do not believe anyone could blame you,” Korekiyo said. “Then I will be brief with my own search.” 

Korekiyo searched the dining hall, and then the kitchen. He did not have any comments, so Kaede took this to mean that he didn’t notice anything was off. Even so, her backpack felt heavier as they left the dining hall.   
  
Since the only thing that they needed to check out in the dormitory was where the blanket came from, Kaede figured she could go there first. Inside the dormitory, there were a few people: Sayaka, Junko, and Nagito. 

“So did you do it, or not?” Nagito was asking Sayaka. “Because it doesn’t look good for you right now!” 

“You were the first person that tried to kill, so don’t even try the innocent act!” Junko added.   
  
Sayaka was hugging herself, looking quite distressed.   
  
“What’s going on here?!” Kaede asked loudly, bringing attention onto herself.

“Why hello there, Akamatsu,” Nagito said, waving at her. “We were interrogating Maizono about what we discovered.”   
  
“The blanket found on the body came from her room,” Junko said, taking on a teacher-like persona. “So she must be considered a suspect, at the very least.”   
  
“Well, Maizono? Is it true that your blanket was the one that we saw under the body?” Kaede asked.   
  
“It’s true. But I didn’t know about that until I checked my room just now,” Sayaka said. “And I’ve been trying to explain that anyone could have taken my blanket.” 

“All our rooms come with locks. And it’s hard to believe that you’d leave your room unlocked in the middle of the killing game,” Junko pointed out.

“It’s because we all planned to escape. I figured there wasn’t a point in locking my room if I wasn’t going to use it again,” Sayaka said, wiping her eyes. “I didn’t know everything would end like this.” 

**Blanket updated in the Truth Bullets**

“That makes sense, Maizono. I believe you,” Kaede said, smiling.

“How noble of you, Akamatsu. If you are going to argue for Maizono’s innocence with all that you have, then I will argue for her guilt!” Nagito exclaimed. “For that is how we will reach true hope!” 

“This isn’t about reaching hope, it’s about surviving!” Kaede said, annoyed at Nagito’s bizarre priorities. 

“That’s only if despair doesn’t win this trial instead. Hope is so predictable,” Junko said. “It makes betrayal cut that much deeper.” 

“Ugh, both of you are crazy!” Something from the earlier conversation stuck out to Kaede. So partially to get away from Nagito and Junko, Kaede approached Sayaka.   
  
“If this is something you don’t want to talk about, I understand,” Kaede said carefully. “But there’s something I heard from those two that I was wondering about.”   
  
Oh. I knew this would catch up to me eventually,” Sayaka said, downcast. “There’s no point in denying it. During my killing game, Monokuma gave a motive to me and my class. And the motive made me so afraid, that… I succumbed to the worst part of myself, and I died for it.”   
  
“So, are you saying that you were executed?” Kaede asked.   
  
“No, the person I tried to kill got me instead,” Sayaka said, shuddering. “If I hadn’t listened to Monokuma…”   
  
“It’s okay, Maizono! I don’t think any less of you.” Kaede made sure Nagito and Junko weren’t in earshot. Then she lowered her voice and said, “Especially because I know what you’re feeling.”   
  
“Are you saying you-?!” Kaede quickly nodded before Sayaka could finish what she was saying. Thankfully, the idol had enough sense to keep her mouth shut.

Kaede backed away so she could see talk with all three people in the room. “I’ve been asking this to everyone, so may as well get it over with. Where were you this morning?”  
  
“I’ve been in this dormitory for various reasons. First, I was with Iruma in her room while we tried to work on invention,” Sayaka said. “After Momota’s body was discovered, I took Taka here. He still hasn’t come out of his room.”   
  
“I understand that feeling. I was so nervous this morning, I came here to curl up under my sheets and wait until the heat death of the universe,” Junko said in a dreary tone.

“And I was here too, because I figured that an eyesore like me should get out of everyone’s way as soon as possible,” Nagito said in a far too cheerful tone.

_ ...You know, times like this almost makes me miss Miu. At least her insults are pretty predictable. _

“Speaking of which, Iruma is still in her room trying to work on something,” Sayaka said. “I saw Tsumugi go into her room, saying something about burning her shameful secrets.”

_ I’m not even going to ask. I’m going to move on to the next part of the investigation. _

“I’m going to go to the auditorium now. Maizono, you’re going to keep taking care of Taka, right?” 

“I will, so you can keep investigating without worry,” Sayaka said, smiling.   
  
In fact this reassured Kaede greatly, so she smiled back at Sayaka then left the dormitory. 

Last time she’d been at the auditorium, Kaede had inspected the outside. This time, she entered the large building… and saw everyone that she hadn’t talked to yet inside, along with Monokuma.   
  
“I’m glad you’re here, Kaede! We’ve been trying to convince Monokuma to let us see what’s behind this curtain,” Tenko said, pointing at the curtain behind the stage. “But he’s been stubborn in refusing!”   
  
“Because this has nothing to do with the murder!” Monokuma shouted. “And after you students spent all morning calling me for no reason, I’m feeling more than a little annoyed!”   
  
_ Right, Kaito asked some of us to distract Monokuma. I guess they did do it after all. _

“So, what makes you so sure that the curtain has nothing to do with the murder? For all we know, an important clue is hiding there,” Ryoma said.   
  
“So that’s the card you’re going to play. Just so that there’s no accusations of unfairness, I’ll give you a peek,” Monokuma said. He waddled up to the stage, and pulled back the curtain. 

Behind it was the large, black and white Exisal that Monokuma had showed off before. There didn’t seem to be anything else that looked like a clue. 

“Besides which, there is proof that this area is not related to the murder,” Monokuma continued. “And you know full well what it is. Or are you pretending that you don’t know?”

“‘Pretending I don’t know?' Wait, what are you talking about?” Tenko asked, panicked.   
  
“Come to think of it, earlier Pekoyama said something about the two of you sparring in here the entire time,” Kaede said to Tenko. “Do you remember that?”   
  
“Yeah, I do! It was a good sparring session too, because no one interrupted-” Tenko’s words died in her throat, and it looked like she’d been smacked upside the head.   
  
“No one interrupted you. Which means Kaito never entered this auditorium for what he wanted,” Ryoma finished. 

“The picture of this crime is still a little unclear. But that’s probably because we haven’t talked together about the clues we’ve collected,” Chiaki said. “So once we do that, everything should become clearer… I think.” 

_ Out of the three people here, I already confirmed Tenko’s location, and Nanami and Ryoma were both in the dining hall with me. With that, I think I have an idea of what everyone was doing! _

**The Students’ Alibis added to the Truth Bullets **

Thankfully, Monokuma had apparently said his piece, because he vanished after that. Although, Kaede wasn’t sure what there could be left to see. 

“Okay, there are more places I want to check. So see you later, everyone!” Tenko headed outside, and as she passed by Kaede noticed-

“Tenko, I know how this is going to sound, but… what’s that in your skirt?” Kaede asked.   
  
“In my skirt? What does that mean?” Tenko asked, confused. 

“Oh. There’s a piece of paper that’s been stuffed in the back of your skirt,” Chiaki said. “It’s easy to miss.” 

“With your permission, Tenko, I’d like to see what that is,” Kaede said. When Tenko didn’t object to the suggestion, Kaede carefully took the paper, and uncrumpled it. There was writing on the paper, which Kaede read out loud: “Take the sled and everything on it and put it away in the shed.”   
  
“I don’t know how that got there!” Tenko exclaimed, pale in the face.   
  
“With how you didn’t even know this note was on your body to begin with, you’re not lying,” Ryoma said. “But that’s all we know about this note. It’s not signed.”   
  
**Mysterious Note added to the Truth Bullets **

*ding dong, bing bong*

On the screen that was in the auditorium, Monokuma appeared, holding onto a martini glass. “Ahem, ahem. I think you’ve all had enough time. The first class trial of the Grand Killing Game is going to begin soon. Please gather at the red doors!” 

“Those would be the red doors near the building where we came from,” Kaede said. “So they’re going to take us to the trial grounds.”

“Then we’re going to have a trial for Momota’s death. Of the fifteen of us left, one of us killed him,” Chiaki said, her expression grim. “And we have to find him.”  
  
“Keep your chin up, everyone! If Kaito were here, he’d probably say something annoying but uplifting!” Tenko exclaimed. 

“He was the kind of guy that didn’t know what the word ‘no’ meant,” Ryoma said, pensive. “But that was also the best thing about him.” 

They exited the auditorium, and headed to the red doors. The rest of the students arrived there too, and they all had various levels of anxiety and fear on their face. 

“This feels wrong, somehow. For a hero like Kaito to die so early,” Tsumugi said. 

“His spirit won’t rest until we corner his murderer like a rat. Fuahahaha! It is time for me to unleash my evil eye!” Gundham exclaimed. 

“Well said, oh demon of the damned. I may even use my stored power to reveal my true form,” Hifumi added. 

“I wonder… what is the reason why the Blackened decided to make their move when they did?” Peko asked.

“If we’re going to move past this, we need to find the answer all the questions in this murder,” Rantaro said. 

“For Taka’s sake, more than anything. He’s been hit by this harder than anyone else,” Sayaka said, shooting a worried glance at her friend. 

Ishimaru remained as unresponsive as he had throughout the entire investigation. 

“Everyone has their own viewpoint. And they are all unique, and beautiful,” Korekiyo said, holding his arms out. “I am looking forward to the aspects of humanity I can observe from this trial!” 

“Being pulled into a life or death gamble like this. It’s so despairing, and so exciting because of it!” Junko said, drooling. “In memory of Momota, I’m going to give it my all!” 

“If you think I’m going to do all the work around here, you can all fuck off!” Miu shouted. “You plebs better at least try!” 

“As always, I’m going to be on the side of the biggest hope!” Nagito declared. “And this is a truly intense clash, with everything on the line!”   
The red doors opened, and the fifteen of them climbed into the elevator, which started to descend once they were all inside.   
  
The descent seemed to take forever, and at least to Kaede, the elevator felt claustrophobic. She couldn’t help but think about the murder, and Kaito.

_ Kaito… he could be undeniably reckless. But he always had our best interests at heart, and he risked his life for us to escape. And he might have done it, if only… he hadn’t been killed. _

_ One of us killed Kaito, and dashed any hope we might have had. But we won’t let them get away with this! We are going to beat this class trial, and then we’re going to honor Kaito’s memory by escaping together! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that all the clues in this case have been provided, what does the audience make of them? Because coming soon will be the first trial, and therefore the first test Kaede will have as a protagonist. I look forward to seeing everyone's attempts to unravel this mystery. See you next time! Please review.


	9. Chapter 1- Trial Prep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not a proper chapter. This is a collection of all the evidence, along with a description. Before the trial chapters are published, look over everything one more time.

**Monokuma File #1: **The victim is Kaito Momota, the Ultimate Astronaut. He was found outside the storage shed. His cause of death was a fall from a forty-foot drop, and his time of death was at 11:00 a.m. His height and weight are also listed, at 6’0 and 165 lbs respectively. 

**Notes On The Body: **According to Peko, there are bruises on Kaito’s back where one would push him. All fractures on his body are consistent with blunt force trauma, so Kaito was not hit with a weapon. 

**Blanket: **a generic blanket from the dormitories found under Kaito’s body. Later revealed to be Sayaka’s. 

**Snow Sled: **A sled from the storage shed. The path of the sled indicates that it was taken from the auditorium back to the shed. 

**Ladder: **A 35-foot ladder. Is tall enough to go over the wall. Is also tall enough to reach the eaves of the auditorium, to climb onto the roof. 

**Puddle of Blood: **A pool of blood found behind the auditorium. Could be considered decisive proof that Kaito fell from the roof. 

**Hifumi’s Account: **According to Hifumi, he and Gundham spent their time in the middle of a snowfield, drawing a summoning sigil. Said sigil is intact, so no one walked through it. 

**State Of the Kitchen: **There is a pile of mugs on the floor that someone burned. One of the stovetops is also lit, and likely has been for a while. 

**Teacup On The Windowsill: **A teacup perched precariously on the kitchen’s windowsill. Opening the window would cause the teacup to fall and break. 

**Korekiyo’s Account: **Before ten-thirty in the morning, the kitchen’s water was working. After this point, someone sabotaged the water line from the outside. 

**The Students’ Alibis: **An account of everyone’s actions and locations. Kaede, Korekiyo, Chiaki, Ryoma, and Rantaro remained in the dining hall. Peko and Tenko sparred in the auditorium. Junko, Sayaka, Miu, Nagito and Tsumugi all returned to the dormitories. Hifumi and Gundham were in the middle of the snowfield. Kiyotaka was found with Kaito’s body. 

**Mysterious Note: **A note telling an unknown person to “take the sled and everything on it, and store it in the shed”. Found stuffed in the back of Tenko’s skirt.

**Area Map **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the readers and Kaede have the same clues to work with to solve this mystery. However, will you arrive at the same conclusions as Kaede? Will you pull ahead of her? Next time, we go into the class trial. See you next time! Please review.


	10. Discordant Echoes Chapter 1, Trial I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the first class trial of the story! And I have never written anything like this before. Dive into the debate on the first death, and see if you can untangle this mystery. Enjoy, my readers!

The elevator eventually stopped, and opened its doors into a whole new room. The room was large, round, and modeled after the wooden buildings they’d been staying in. Sixteen podiums were gathered in a circle. 

In the back of the room was Monokuma on a throne, raised above the rest of the students. “Welcome to the first courtroom of this Grand Killing Game! Everyone, please take your assigned seats.” 

Rantaro’s seat happened to be in front of Monokuma’s throne. Clockwise from there was Peko, Miu, Hifumi, a portrait representing Kaito, Kiyotaka, Gundham, Chiaki, Sayaka, Korekiyo, Nagito, Tenko, Junko, Tsumugi, Kaede, and Ryoma. 

“Now that everyone has taken their places, it’s time for the thrills, chills, and kills that can only take place in a class trial!” 

**TRIAL START **

Monokuma: “But first, it’s time to review the rules of the class trial. During the trial, all of you will debate on who the Blackened is. Once you are finished, you will vote on who you think they are.” 

Miu: “Is this really necessary? We’ve all been through these crappy things before.”

  
Monokuma: “Maybe some of you have been through many of these class trials. But _ some _losers here are so bad at surviving, they’ve never attended a single trial!” 

Sayaka went pale and hugged herself, while Rantaro said, “That’s blunt, but I suppose not entirely wrong.” 

Monokuma: “So for the benefit of these failures, I’ll keep explaining. If you correctly vote for the Blackened, then they will be punished! But if you vote for the wrong person, I’ll punish everyone except the Blackened. And they will earn a special privilege! Without further ado, let’s begin!” 

Ryoma: “So once again, the main prize is not escape, but this mysterious privilege. What could that mean?”

Rantaro: “As understandable as your curiosity is, it would be better to focus on Kaito’s death.”

Peko: “Well said. However, what would be the best place to start the debate?” 

Chiaki: “First, we should answer the question of who is capable of committing the crime in the first place. Then we can start to narrow down the suspects.” 

_ Okay, it seems like this will be the first topic of debate. I should pay careful attention and see if there’s anything that sticks out to me! _

**Nonstop Debate **

Tsumugi: “If I remember correctly, Kaito left pretty early compared to everyone else.”   
  
Tenko: “A lot of us left the dining hall, didn’t we? So it’s hard to figure out anyone that would have had a chance.” 

Hifumi: “Then if there’s **no one with a solid alibi** , does that mean that all of us are potential suspects? Because it wasn’t meeee!” 

Ryoma: “Those are not the words of an innocent person.” 

_ It’s true that there isn’t a way to figure out any suspects right now. But I think I can at least eliminate who can’t be the killer. _

Of all the arguments made so far, Hifumi’s stuck out the most. So Kaede remembered the important information she’d gathered, before taking a deep breath. 

“**NO, THAT’S WRONG!**”

* * *

Kaede: “It’s true that a lot of us left the dining hall. But some of us stayed there the entire time. So we can’t be the Blackened!” 

Miu: “When you say ‘we’, are you including yourself? Because that would be pretty fucking convenient if you are!”

Rantaro: “Before this can get out of hand, I will clear this up right now. Kaede, Korekiyo, Nanami, Ryoma and myself were all in the dining hall, and none of us left until the body was discovered.” 

Chiaki: “It’s true. However, that’s only about a third of the students. So we should view this as a first step, and keep moving.” 

Miu: “Hang on! So three guys and two girls were all alone in the dining hall? Did you all take turns going at it with each other, or-?” 

Kaede: “Now is not the time for this, Miu!” 

Miu: “Heeeeeee! Why are you mad at me?” 

Peko “...You say the most pointlessly crude things.” 

Korekiyo: “Enough. Needless to say, the next logical step is to ascertain who is the most likely among us to have killed Kaito.” 

Nagito: “In that case, wouldn’t the most natural conclusion be to suspect Ishimaru? After all, he was found near the body.” 

Sayaka: “Do you really think that Taka could have done that? He was so close to Momota, and I honestly can’t him imagine killing anyone…”

Nagito: “It’s inspiring that you stand by your classmate! And yet, the possibility that Ishimaru betrayed and murdered his friend!” 

Kaede: “If you have anything to say for yourself, Taka, now would be the time.” 

Ishimaru remained deathly silent, like he had been for the past few hours. He did not move at all.

Tsumugi: “Ishimaru isn’t saying anything in his defense. B-but, does that mean that it really was him?”

Junko: “That would be the worst fucking ending! The upstanding, Ultimate Moral Compass sinking to the lowest of lows!” 

Kaede: “Taka, you have to say something! If not, everyone is going to vote for you! If you’re not the Blackened, we’ll all get punished, including you!” 

Even that didn’t seem to be enough to rouse a reaction from Ishimaru, and Kaede could start to feel despondent. The class trial was already stalling, and if she couldn’t get Ishimaru to talk, they couldn’t advance the debate. 

Ishimaru, listen up!”

Tenko’s voice cut through the trial room, commanding everyone else’s attention. 

Tenko: “I know you must be in pain right now. I can feel your distraught heart from here. But this is not what Kaito would have wanted!” 

“Kai...to…?” Ishimaru asked, his voice hoarse. 

“There’s something that Kaito used to say all the time! He didn’t get to say it to you, but it was ‘The impossible is possible, all you gotta do is make it so’!” Tenko exclaimed. “And Kaito believed in you enough to make you one of his sidekicks!”

“Chabashira, what are you saying?” Yet the light in Ishimaru’s eyes flickered back into existence. 

“I’m saying if you want to mourn Kaito, that’s perfectly natural. But there is something that only you know about this case!” Tenko exclaimed. “And he would want you to shout what you know at the top of your lungs, so his killer gets cornered!” 

“I… I… I…!” Ishimaru clenched his fists. “I’m gonna do it! The murderer cannot be allowed to get away with this unforgivable crime!” 

“Then tell us everything you did earlier this morning,” Rantaro said. “And just to be clear, you are very much still a suspect.” 

“F-from what I remember, after Momota and I left the dining hall, he told me to go stand in front of the lab area,” Ishimaru said nervously. “And I called Monokuma, and asked questions about the rules to take up his time.” 

“What do I look like, some kind of pet that comes running for anyone,” Monokuma grumbled to himself. “Running a killing game is hard enough as it is!” 

“After that, I went back to the dormitory, where I was supposed to wait for Kaito to give a signal that his plan was in motion,” Ishimaru continued. “But it never came, and after waiting for a while, I got restless. So I went wandering around for something to do, and I happened upon a sled in front of the auditorium with something on it wrapped in a blanket.” 

“Oh! I think I get what happened next. Being the organized person that you are, you decided to put the sled away in the shed. Is that right?” Sayaka asked. 

Ishimaru nodded, even as tears formed in his eyes. “That’s right. It didn’t take me long for me to pull the sled to the shed. And I unwrapped the blanket and saw-!”

“Okay, you don’t need to say anymore!” Tenko cut in. 

“Unfortunately, that is still not enough to clear you of suspicion,” Korekiyo said. “As long as it is possible for you to have killed Kaito, your story does not hold.”

“Before we go too far, let’s establish how Momota died in the first place,” Chiaki said. “Chabashira pointed out that there are no cliffs in this area. And I believe that climbing on the walls is against the rules… I think.”

“That is correct! I don’t care what your excuse is, but climbing the walls will be interpreted as an escape attempt!” Monokuma said from his throne. “And that is punishable by execution! Torn to shreds by my Exisal, to be precise!” 

“We really didn’t need to hear all the details,” Tsumugi said weakly. 

_ I have evidence that immediately answers how to Kaito died. I should probably present it… _

“**I GET IT!”**

“I investigated behind the auditorium, and I found something that reveals exactly how Kaito died,” Kaede said. “A pool of blood. So it’s clear that Kaito fell from the roof!” 

“So you managed to divine where the Sky Watcher breathed his last? Your ears surely must have heard the cry of his soul!” Gundham declared. 

“I’m pretty sure I used my eyes, not my ears,” Kaede said dryly. 

“Then now that we’ve figured out the cause of death, we should focus on-” 

“**Fall into despair!**”

Junko interrupted Chiaki, before turning her attention to Kaede. “You haven’t entirely proven your theory yet,” Junko said, using her “teacher” persona. “There is something you haven’t answered.” 

“What exactly is wrong with what I said?” Kaede asked. 

“Gya ha ha ha! That you can’t see it makes even worse for you when I prove you wrong!” 

**Rebuttal Showdown**

“You can talk about evidence all you want,” 

“But if you can’t answer why Momota would climb the roof,” 

“Then why should we believe you?”

**Advance**

“It’s true that I can’t talk about why Kaito would have climbed the roof. But since we have proof of how he died, we don’t need to know the reason,” Kaede pointed out. 

“You don’t know why Kaito climbed on the roof,” 

“**Or how Kaito climbed the roof,**”

“So it comes off like you made this all up on the spot.”

_ No, I didn’t make this all up! And I have the perfect thing to shove into Enoshima’s face! _

“**I’LL CUT YOUR WORDS!**”

* * *

“We do know how Kaito climbed the roof,” Kaede said. “One of the items found in the shed is a 35-foot ladder. With this, both Kaito and the Blackened could have reached the roof!” 

“The ladder in question was found near the body. That would mean the Blackened took it with them,” Peko said thoughtfully. 

“Then that would mean that so far, that would still be Ishimaru,” Rantaro said, crossing his arms. “He admitted that he took the sled with the body. It is logical that he took the ladder too.” 

“N-no, it wasn’t me! You have to believe me!” Ishimaru cried out. 

_ It looks like this will be the next focus of the debate. I need to stay focused! _   
  


**Nonstop Debate**

Ishimaru: “I didn’t mean to take Kaito’s body with me!” 

Junko: “But the ladder was found next to the body, **so you must have taken it too!**”

Ishimaru: _ I couldn’t have taken both the ladder and the sled with me! _ And I know I didn’t even see the ladder near the auditorium.” 

Nagito: “With the power of your Ultimate Talent, surely there was a way for you to do both at the same time!” 

Tenko: “...Okay, what on earth does having an Ultimate Talent have to do with anything that we’re discussing right now?”

_ I feel like there isn’t anything that I can prove wrong directly. But maybe to advance the debate, I need to do something else? _

Kaede looked through her Monopad, and something caught her eye. _ If the question is if taking two things at once is possible… _

“**I AGREE WITH THAT!**”

* * *

“Taka is right! He couldn’t have taken both the sled and the ladder with him at the same time,” Kaede exclaimed. “At least, not if Kaito’s body was on the sled too.” 

“So your angle is that it was not physically possible to carry both at once,” Rantaro said, smiling mysteriously. “Go ahead then, explain your reasoning why.” 

“I was looking through the Monokuma file, and it has Kaito’s vital statistics,” Kaede explained. “He weighed a hundred and sixty-five pounds. Now tell me, could any of you pull that with only one hand?” 

“Even for someone with training, trying to pull Kaito with one hand would absolutely wreck your back!” Tenko said, wincing at the very thought.

“And what’s to stop someone from carrying the ladder on their shoulder or back while they pulled the sled?” Miu asked. “Just because your tiny brain can’t comprehend that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen!” 

“The ladder in question does not fold. So it would be unwieldy to carry it on your body,” Korekiyo said. “And if one were to try to navigate both the ladder and the sled with a body on it, it would be improbable that they could get very far.” 

Right, I knew that. It’s about time someone caught up with me,” Miu said quickly.

“The sutter in your voice seems to say otherwise…” Tsumugi said. 

“No one asked you, four-eyed Plain Jane!” Miu snapped. 

“So that means that Ishimaru has been cleared of suspicion. How wonderful!” Nagito exclaimed. “But the trial is nowhere near over.”

“What else was at the crime scene?” Ryoma asked. “If the Blackened left a clue by mistake, that could give us a lead.” 

“One of the shovels from the shed was near the body. What if the Blackened hit Kaito with it and then carried his body to the roof?” Tenko asked, her face pale. “Falling may have been the cause of death, but the Monokuma File doesn’t say he climbed willingly!” 

“The shovel didn’t have any blood on it,” Sayaka pointed out. 

“It could have been washed off. There is snow everywhere,” Chiaki said. “That is, if Momota was hit in the first place.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not what happened,” Kaede said. “According to Peko, all of Kaito’s injuries were from a fall, and not from a weapon. So the shovel was probably planted.”

“Then all I’ve done was waste everyone’s time! I’m sorry!” Tenko cried out, bowing her head. “I’ll make sure not to talk unless I know what I’m saying.”

“...No, it’s okay. It’s only natural that you’d want to make sure,” Peko said. “In a class trial, you don’t know what can be trusted.” 

Then how about the blanket? Someone took the trouble to wrap up Kaito,” Hifumi asked. “They must have wanted to make sure that the body wasn’t seen if someone spotted Mister Ishimaru pulling the sled.” 

For the first time, Kaede hesitated. _ I know exactly where the blanket came from. But saying that is going to make everyone suspect them as the Blackened. _ _   
_

_ And I don’t think that they possibly could have killed Kaito. But… what I am supposed to do, then? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback on the format of the trial would be very appreciated. As always, tell me your theories on where you see this mystery going. See you next time! Please review.


	11. Chapter 1, Trial II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now time for the second chapter of the trial. The debate continues, and suspects are put through trial by fire. In the middle of this, of course, the true killer hiding. Enjoy, my readers!

“Kaede. You look like you have something on the mind,” Rantaro suddenly said.    


“I have a lot of things on my mind,” Kaede said nervously. 

“Maybe it’s just me, but you it seems like you know something about the blanket found under Kaito’s body,” Rantaro said, pinning Kaede with a serious expression. “If you do, we’d appreciate learning what it is.”    


_ So, he caught me. I have no choice but to say it…  _

“It belongs to Maizono,” Kaede admitted quietly. “She told me so herself.”    


“So then Maizono was the one that wrapped up Momota’s body? You wouldn’t expect that from the shining Ultimate Idol,” Nagito said. 

“Oh, there is a very frightening mind hiding behind her smile,” Hifumi said, leaning his body away from Sayaka. 

“Wait, you have to believe me! It’s my blanket, but I don’t know who took it!” Sayaka cried out.    


“That sounds like a poor excuse. Do you really not have a better defense?” Korekiyo asked.    


“This is exactly why degenerate males are the worst!” Tenko shouted. “First you all jumped on Ishimaru, now you’re all blaming Maizono. I’m not going to allow it!”    


“Tenko is stepping up to be a hero!” Tsumugi exclaimed. “Next, she’s going to raise her hand in the air and say-!”

“‘In the name of Moon, I will punish you! I am the…'” Peko trailed off when she realized everyone was staring at her, and her cheeks went red. “I apologize. I’m not entirely sure where that came from.” 

“Wow! you know that theme too? I used to watch that all the time!” Tenko exclaimed.   


“So it’s Miss Pekoyama that’s the magical girl? I’d expect her to be the brooding rival,” Hifumi said.    


“Please don’t describe me in such terms,” Peko muttered, averting her eyes from everyone.    


“Anyways, I do agree with what Chabashira is saying,” Chiaki said. “Because throwing around accusations is not going to help anyone.”   


“You’d… you’d better not be lying, Maizono,” Miu stuttered, looking at Sayaka with suspicion. “Who would be dumb enough to use their own blanket, and then tell someone about it? You wouldn’t do that, would you?” 

“No, I don’t think that Sayaka would do that!” Ishimaru declared.    


“Th-thank you, everyone,” Sayaka said, sniffling. “I’m grateful that you’re helping me at a time like this.”   


“If you’re putting on the innocent act, you’d better prove it! I may have the golden brain, but surely you must have something in that head of yours,” Miu said. 

“Alright then! As I told Kaede, it’s true that I noticed my blanket was missing when I went back to my room,” Sayaka said. “But I didn’t think much of it. In fact, I hadn’t even bothered to lock my room, because… you all know why.”   


“Yes. It is human nature to let their guards down when they believe they are safest,” Korekiyo said. “Of course, it is also human nature that there are those that would make use of this weakness.”

“What are you all talking about?” Monokuma asked in a warning tone. “You students have been acting like naughty little kids trying to sneak into the cookie jar.”    


“What we’re talking about isn’t related to the murder!” Kaede said quickly. “When we all drank hot chocolate together, our bonds grew so close that we became more relaxed.”   


“Yes, it was a gathering filled with the brightest hopes!” Nagito added. “Of course, a being of despair like you could never understand such things.” 

“Now I’m starting to feel left out. I should have gotten hot chocolate too,” Monokuma said, his shoulders slumping.   


“But… you couldn’t even drink it,” Tenko pointed out.    


“So then where does that leave us?” Ryoma asked, to get the debate back on track. “We still have a group of suspects that could have taken Maizono’s blanket, assuming it wasn’t her.” 

“Then let’s look back at what we’ve established so far,” Rantaro said. “The Blackened is one of the people that left the dining hall, besides Ishimaru and Maizono. They wrapped Momota’s body in a blanket, then placed it on a sled for someone to find.” 

“They would also have carried the ladder to the shed,” Kaede said. “So they’ve done a lot of running around for their plan.” 

_ It’s time for us to go into the next big topic. I need to be ready for anything! _

**Nonstop Debate**

Gundham: “The foul murderer must have channeled forces from beyond to have the stamina to commit their crime!”    


Miu: “We know that much, you deluded loon! We need to know how they did it!”

Tsumugi: “Would it be possible that someone would spot the Blackened while they were walking outside? The snow field was pretty flat.”    


Ryoma: “ **They could have hid behind the buildings ** as they walked back and forth from the various locations while executing their plan.”    


Korekiyo: “Most of the students were cooped up in the buildings, and so wouldn’t have noticed anyone that was outside.” 

Miu: “So the killer could have  **crossed the center of the snow field as many times as they wanted. ** Why was no one watching outside?!” 

_ There’s no point in beating ourselves up on what we could have done. Now, what can we learn from what’s being discussed? _ _   
_

The more that Kaede thought about it, the more she realized that there was a step that they hadn’t taken yet in regards to the trial. 

_ If I break through the statement that’s bugging me, it could help push us in that direction! _

**NO, THAT’S WRONG!”**

* * *

“No, there was a point where the Blackened wouldn’t have been able to cross the center of the snowfield anymore,” Kaede said. “Tanaka and Yamada should know what I’m talking about!”

“In fact, the fair maiden speaks true!” Hifumi declared dramatically. “For me and the Overlord of Ice were in that center, casting a dark ritual!”    


“Various humans did pass through that point before we began our incantation,” Gundham said, crossing his arms. “But once we began out work, not one soul traversed those grounds.”    


“You should have mentioned that sooner!” Miu snapped. “So, who was it that crossed before you started jerking each other off?”    


Suddenly, Hifumi started chuckling. “Even your attempts to disturb me won’t work. For it is time for me to unveil the identity of Momota’s killer!”   
  
“I assume that means you have evidence, unlike the previous accusations we’ve seen so far?” Peko asked. 

“Heh heh heh. You most of all are going to be surprised. Because the killer is none other than Miss Tenko Chabashira!” 

There was a silence as everyone processed Hifumi’s accusation. Then Tenko shouted, “Why are you accusing me?!”    


“Because the auditorium’s roof is where Momota met his end. And no one was closer than you and Miss Pekoyama,” Hifumi said. “The Blackened is most likely one of you!”    


“That’s why you decided to accuse me? You’d better take that back, before I slam you with my Neo Aikido!” Tenko shouted.    


“I’d like to say something at this point…” Peko said.    


“Chabashira, I know how you must be feeling, but you really aren’t helping your case,” Sayaka pointed out. 

“I’m not scared of you!” Hifumi said, even as he was trembling. “You probably used those kind of techniques on Momota!”    


“I would never desecrate the sacred style of Neo Aikido like that!” Tenko yelled angrily. “It’s meant to destroy slimes like you!”    


_ Uh oh. Everyone’s shouting louder and louder. I have to use my hearing to pick out something from this mess. Otherwise, something bad might actually happen! _ _   
_ __   
****

**Mass Panic Debate **

Tenko: “I didn’t kill Kaito, and how dare you accuse me of doing it!”   
Hifumi: “You were near where he died,  **you must have done it!** ”

Sayaka: “Chabashira, you need to calm down!”   


Tenko: “You said that more people passed through.  _ Couldn’t it have been one of them?” _

Hifumi: “If any of them was with Momota, can you prove it?”

Peko: “Chabashira, I can clear this up if you listen for a moment.  _ Neither of us could have done it. _ ”

Tenko: “It’s true that I can’t prove who was with Kaito. But that was  **the killer’s plan!** ”

Hifumi: “A likely story. So, what are you going to say when I present my other proof?”   
Ishimaru: “All of you need to stop shouting right now!” 

_ This is really hard on my ears. Still, I need to listen closely if I’m going to find what I need.  _

For as much as Kaede liked Tenko and saw her as a friend, she had a bad habit of jumping to conclusions.  _ I think I need someone with a cooler head at a time like this. _ _   
_

“ **I CAN HEAR IT!** ”

* * *

“Pekoyama is right. Neither she nor Tenko could have killed Kaito,” Kaede said.    


“Right, because…!” Then realization crossed Tenko’s face, and her expression grew sheepish. “I really should have thought of that in the first place.”   


“Next time, keep a cool head when faced with an accusation,” Peko said wearily. To the rest of the room, she said, “Me and Chabashira spent our time sparring with each other until the body discovery announcement. Neither of us left the auditorium once.”   


“You of all people should realize what a double-edged blade that statement is,” Rantaro said gravely. “Because it raises an obvious question: Shouldn’t you have heard Kaito hit the ground?”

“My point exactly, Mister Amami!” Hifumi said, rubbing his chin proudly.    


“All I can say is that I heard nothing of the sort,” Peko said. “And even while sparring, I make a habit of paying attention to my surroundings at all times.” 

“So you have super senses? Your cool image knows no limits, Pekoyama!” Tsumugi exclaimed.

“All I am is someone with a lifetime of training. It is nothing that noteworthy,” Peko said simply.

“Which unfortunately leaves us with a dilemma- either of you could be lying,” Korekiyo pointed out. “Unless you have decisive proof of your claim.”   


“W-well, how do you even know that Kaito died while we were sparring?” Tenko asked.    


“That… is actually a really good point,” Rantaro said, scratching his head. “We certainly can’t prove when Kaito was on the roof of the auditorium.”    


“The Monokuma File gives Momota’s time of death as eleven in the morning,” Chiaki said, playing with her hoodie. “But none of us were keeping a careful track of the time.”    


Ryoma put a candy cigarette in his mouth. “Then I am left with no choice but to draw attention to *that* piece of evidence. If only to move the debate forward.”    


_ I know what Ryoma is talking about! There really is no other way, is there?  _

“Near the end of the investigation, Kaede and Nanami spotted something on Tenko’s person,” Ryoma said. “And they looked at it.”   


“It was a note that had been stuffed in the back of her skirt,” Chiaki continued. “And it read ‘Take the sled and everything on it and put it away in the shed’. The note was not signed.”   


“So we’re back to Chabashira being the primary suspect?!” Ishimaru exclaimed. 

“During our sparring session, I didn’t see that note,” Peko said. “But then, Chabashira never once showed me her back, which is the smart thing to do in a fight.” 

“I don’t know how that note got there! My mind was distracted by too many other things,” Tenko said. “And besides, I never left the auditorium!” 

“Then, maybe the note got there because someone planted it there?” Sayaka asked tentatively. 

“Chabashira is the Ultimate Aikido Master! So to get close enough to her person to plant that note is no small feat,” Nagito said. “They would have only a moment to pull it off.” 

“And are we okay with assuming that the person that planted the note would be the Blackened?” Ishimaru asked, concentrating intensely. “Because I can think of no other reason why they would do that!”    


“So the Blackened is someone that could have approached Tenko, and also had a chance to kill Kaito after,” Kaede said to herself. Then, something sparked in her mind. 

_ I think… I think I know who the Blackened is! If what I’m thinking is right…  _

Kaede opened her mouth to voice her suspicions, but then hesitated.  _ Am I right? Because I’m not a detective, like Shuichi. I’ve… I’ve been wrong before, and killed an innocent person as a result.  _

“Hey, Kaeidiot!” Miu suddenly called out. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it!”    


“Miu? What are you saying…?”    


“I, the golden girl with the golden brain, know exactly who the killer is,” Miu said. “But you go ahead say your theory first. You’re probably not right, but I’ll make sure it’s not a total waste of everyone’s time.” 

_ You are really bad at giving pep talks.  _ Yet the harsh words were at least enough to shake Kaede out of her funk.  _ You want to hear my theory? You’re going to get it!  _

“The Blackened that killed Kaito can only be…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to do something different here. I ask the audience to make their best guess on who the Blackened is. Whichever student gets the most votes, Kaede will accuse them next chapter! If Kaede is wrong, the other characters will call her out for it. If Kaede is right, I will reward the readers with a bonus scene later. So good luck, everyone. See you next time! Please review.


	12. Chapter 1, Trial III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May I be the first to say that majority of votes last chapter were for Junko Enoshima... and you are all correct! But that doesn't mean the trial is over. There is still the process of uncovering how it was done. So everyone do your best! Enjoy, my readers!

“Is Junko Enoshima!”    


A silence fell onto the trial ground as Kaede’s accusation rang out.    


“Are you really accusing me of killing Momota?” Junko asked in a sickeningly sweet voice. “But my talent is Ultimate Fashionista. I couldn’t slip a note onto a martial artist.”    


“But you told me you were Ultimate Despair. And that’s not  even the point!” Kaede exclaimed. “There was a moment this morning when you could have planted that note!”    


“Duh! All of you dunderheads should have remembered it!” Miu said. “After all, it’s hard to forget seeing Enoshima’s face pushed so snugly into Tenko’s chest. Not that she has a very big chest, but-”    


“The point is, no one knew why exactly Enoshima did that,” Kaede cut in. “But no one else had an opportunity to get close to Tenko. So that must have been when the note was planted!”    


“You’re really making me out as a killer because I forgot myself for just a second,” Junko said, still in her overly cutesy persona. “Aren’t you supposed to trust your friends?”    


“You are no friend, foul demon!” Gundham yelled. “You spread devastation untold with an evil grin on your face.”    


“What are you talking about? Enoshima doesn’t look like someone that could do all that,” Tsumugi said, dismayed. 

“Appearances can be deceiving. Junko’s title of Ultimate Despair refers to how she tore down the institution of Hope’s Peak Academy,” Nagito explained. “And much more besides that. And she accomplished it by swaying other Ultimates to her side.” 

“To my eternal shame, the students were me, and my classmates,” Peko said, turning away. “I cannot say how Junko brought us under her control. Just that she is definitely capable of being able to slip a note onto someone without anyone noticing.” 

“And here I thought we were friends! Didn’t we have so much fun as despairs?” Junko asked, looking at Peko and Gundham with big eyes.    


“Your attempts to drive us apart won’t work. Answer the question,” Chiaki said firmly.   


“Everyone is doubting me! This feels so awful,” Junko said, crying dramatic tears. “You don’t think I’m a killer, do you, Chabashira? I hugged you because I was scared.” 

Put on the spot, Tenko’s face briefly turned red. Then, thoughtfully, she said, “Thinking back on it, your heart felt… off. Like it was empty. Everything happened so fast that I didn’t think too much about it, but maybe if I had, Kaito would still be alive…”    


“Do not blame yourself, Chabashira. Junko is solely responsible for her own actions,” Chiaki said, her expression intense. “Well? Are you going to give us your real answer to the accusations?” 

In a split second, Junko dropped her cutesy act, and shouted, “Oh, just because a girl ends the world once, it means that she’s responsible for every little thing that goes wrong? I deny planting that note!”    


“She denies it. But if Enoshima is the Blackened, she naturally would,” Korekiyo said, chuckling.    


“That’s true. So next, we discuss every possibility until we arrive at her innocence… or her guilt,” Rantaro said.    


_ I accused Junko, but I’m not entirely sure of how she killed Kaito. So to solve this case, I need to work with everyone! _

**Nonstop Debate**

Ishimaru: “It’s true, looking at it logically, it’s ** only possible for Junko** to plant the note. 

Junko: “I wasn’t the only one that could have done it! If you’re going to doubt me, then  _ doubt Peko too!  _ She could be lying!” 

Tsumugi: “It does seem rather harsh to suspect Enoshima based on only one piece of evidence. Wasn’t it the same for the other accusations?”    


Chiaki: “If that’s the case, then we need  _ evidence that could also be tied to Junko.  _ Does something like that exist?” 

Junko: “If you can’t answer your own question, then keep your fucking mouth shut!”    
  


_ We tied Enoshima into this murder with the note planted on Tenko. So I think the next step is to think of what she did after.  _

**“I AGREE WITH THAT!”**

* * *

“No, the note is not the only thing that ties Enoshima to this crime.” Kaede said. “And I thought of it when I considered her account of her actions.”   


“She claims that she was at the dormitories,” Chiaki said. “That’s on the other side from the scene of the murder, so it would seem like this clears Junko. Until you consider what was with Momota’s body.”    


“Maizono’s blanket,” Kaede said, picking up Chiaki’s thread of logic. “She mentioned that she didn’t lock her door. So Enoshima easily could have stolen the blanket!” 

“That raises a question. To the people at the dormitories, could you hear the sound of the doors opening and closing?” Rantaro asked.    


“Yes, I could. But I was in Iruma’s room,” Sayaka answered. “So I couldn’t tell which doors were being opened. Not only that, but once someone left the dormitories, I couldn’t hear them anymore.” 

“I wasn’t paying attention to that shit anyways! I had more important things to do,” Miu added.    


“So then, that’s the noose around the neck tied a little tighter,” Nagito said cheerfully. “But it’s only natural that a despair like you fall to our combined hopes.”    


“Don’t act as if it’s already been decided. I insist that I did not kill Momota,” Junko said, this time in her teacher persona. “I believe it was mentioned earlier that Gundham and Hifumi were in the center of the snowfield. To commit this crime, wouldn’t I have needed to cross the snowfield when they were there?”    


Kaede wracked her head, trying to remember everything that happened this morning.  _ The important point here is what happened, when.  _

**“I GET IT!” **

“Enoshima did not have to cross the snowfield when Tanaka and Yamada were there. Think back to when everyone was in the dining hall,” Kaede said. “After she ‘hugged’ Tenko, she left the dining hall.” 

The words caused a chain reaction among everyone else, as the implications hit them.    


“Yes. Enoshima left first, before Kaito. In other words, only Kaito could account for her actions,” Ryoma said. “And he’s dead now.” 

“There’s also the amount of preparation that this crime would need. Taking Maizono’s blanket, preparing the sled, and then luring Momota onto the roof,” Chiaki added. “It would be much easier if no one else could see Junko do it.” 

“So these are the reasons that everyone wants to pin on Momota’s death on me? How depressing,” Junko said, her entire demeanor wilting. 

“I assume that means you have a rebuttal against these accusations. Go ahead, say your piece,” Rantaro said. 

“If I’m the killer because I ‘could’ have done it without being seen, that could apply to anyone,” Junko said, still in a monotone. “If the main suspects are the people in the dormitories, why don’t you suspect them too?”    


“I was afraid you were going to say that,” Chiaki said, frowning. “The main issue in this case so far is a lack of direct evidence. 

“It wasn’t me! There’s no way a plain cosplayer like me could be strong enough to shove Kaito to his death!” Tsumugi exclaimed, her face pale.    


“It wasn’t me! A complete moron like him wouldn’t be worth my time either!” Miu shouted.    


“Wait a second, everyone! This is exactly what Junko wants!” Sayaka cried out. “She wants us to turn against each other!” 

“And yet, her words to ring true. Is this all that your collective hope amounts to?” Nagito asked, turning his nose up at the rest of the students. “What if the real killer is in fact someone else, and they’re laughing at us for running around in the dark?”    


“If you’re going to take such an arrogant tone, why don’t you tell us what you think happened?” Tenko demanded. 

“It’s up to the Ultimates to figure this out. I don’t have anything useful to contribute,” Nagito responded. 

“That is a convenient excuse to not participate in the debate,” Ryoma said dryly.    


“If we vote incorrectly, we all die. So if there’s no proof against Junko, maybe we should consider another suspect?” Hifumi asked nervously.   


“There is proof against her! She’s trying to worm her way out of suspicion!” Kaede yelled.

“ **HOLD ON!** ”

“As much as I love a heated debate, this isn’t going anywhere!” Monokuma shouted. “Since everyone is so split, it’s time for this  world-famous, award-winning  morphological trial ground to take it’s true form!” 

“Then what happens now?” Sayaka asked. 

Kaede knew exactly what was going to happen next. So she was ready when Monokuma inserted a key into his personal podium.    


“Everyone will engage in a scrum debate! The two sides will pit their opinions against each other in a savage competition,” Monokuma explained. “And the side that wins will control the debate!”    


The students’ podiums started rising. Kaede and her classmates were expecting this- everyone else had varying levels of shock on their face. Then the podiums took went to opposite sides of the trial ground. 

**Topic: Should Junko be the prime suspect?** **   
  
**

**Junko should be suspected!**

**Kaede**

**Tenko**

**Chiaki**

**Rantaro**

**Peko**

**Sayaka**

**Miu**

**Kiyotaka**

**There is another suspect!**

**Junko**

**Korekiyo**

**Ryoma**

**Nagito**

**Hifumi**

**Tsumugi**

**Gundham**

**Scrum Debate start!**

Junko: “You can’t vote for me as the Blackened if you don’t have proof!”

“While we lack direct proof, there are signs pointing to you as the culprit”: Chiaki

Gundham: “Loathe as I am to support this fiend, this could all be a scheme by another.”

“If there was a culprit trying to frame Junko, we would see their scheme.”: Rantaro

Nagito: “Yet is it okay to count on a conclusion so easily changed?”    


“If we discuss the conclusion more, we’ll see if it really changes or not!”: Sayaka

Tsumugi: “But what else is there to this case?” 

“We discuss Junko’s actions in this case in detail.” Peko

Korekiyo: “What, if after the debate finishes, we vote incorrectly?” 

“We have to keep continue the debate to make sure we vote correctly!”: Kaede

After Kaede’s statement, her side continued to push their argument, until… 

“ **THIS IS OUR ANSWER!** ”

* * *

“The result of the Scrum Debate is that Kaede’s side will continue to press Junko!” Monokuma declared. “But if you dare bore me with a stalled debate again, the consequences will be painful.”    


“Then we will make sure that we don’t bore you,” Rantaro said, grinning coolly. To everyone else, he said, “I believe where we last left off, we established that Junko had oppurtunity to set up the murder.” 

“It doesn’t matter what you say, I won’t go along with your fucking delusions!” Junko shouted.    


“If Enoshima will not entertain our questions, let us consider something else,” Korekiyo said. “The Blackened had taken Maizono’s blanket, then took the sled and dragged it to the outside of the auditorium. Is everyone with me so far?” 

“That’s very well-explained, Shinguji,” Nagito said. “I assume that once their preparations were complete, they waited for Momota.”   


“Exactly. After that, the Blackened took Momota to the roof,” Korekiyo said. “How did they do it? We established earlier it was not by force.”    


“Maybe a freak like you wouldn’t understand, but that’s easy!” Miu exclaimed. “Enoshima just used her banging body to convince Kaito to come with her!”   


“So you’re saying that because I’m a model, I’m naturally loose? I don’t want to hear that from a girl reeking of desperation and loneliness,” Junko said. 

Miu let out a high-pitched squeal of embarrassment. “Wh-who said I’m desperate? I could get any of you in bed, I just don’t want to!”    


“I think that’s exactly what desperate people say,” Tsumugi said flatly. 

“Now that I think about it, we’ve run into this problem before,” Peko said thoughtfully. “Momota had a goal he wanted to accomplish, and in the little time I’ve known him, I don’t believe he could be easily swayed away from it.”

“You are correct, Pekoyama! Kaito’s stubbornness was truly astronomical!” Tenko declared.    


_ Kaito was not forced onto the roof. Which means that the Blackened must have asked him to climb the roof, and he agreed.  _

“...I think out of all the people here, Enoshima is one of only two people that might have been able to convince Kaito to get on the roof,” Kaede said, feeling sick at the thought. “Taka is the other, and he can’t be the Blackened.” 

The stricken look on Tenko’s face indicated that she caught on too. “Because Enoshima was his sidekick, right? I remember how Kaito always trusted Maki and Shuichi without question.”

“I imagine that if Enoshima told Kaito that it was important, he would agree to accompany her onto the roof,” Kaede said. “Well, Enoshima? What do you have to say to that?”    


Junko’s eyes went completely blank, and Kaede shuddered. For the first time, Kaede could see the depthless despair swirling inside her blank eyes.   


“To pursue me this much, Akamatsu. You remind of someone I knew,” Junko said. “A boy that is plainer than a loaf of white bread, but all the more dangerous because of it.” 

Sayaka started at those words, hugging herself with her arms. 

“If you refuse to give up on pinning this murder on me, then I will answer your resolve appropriately,” Junko continued. “With a reveal that will finally break you!”    


_ You can try as hard as you can. But I won’t give up until I exposed your crime in full! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a lot of discussion, me and my team decided to feature the Scrum Debate in this story. How was it, everyone? And where do you see the trial going? I look forward to the responses. See you next time! Please review.


	13. Chapter 1, Trial IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The trial returns with everyone discussing the potential guilt of Junko Enoshima! Of course, the diva of despair is not going to go down without a fight! So, keep pushing through until the end!

“I’d like to ask everyone a question,” Junko said, switching to her teacher persona. “It sounds like you believe I went to the effort of making an elaborate murder plan to kill Momota. But why would I need to kill him?” 

“...!”  _ Motive isn’t something that we’ve discussed so far. And I have a feeling that Junko isn’t going to make it easy for us.  _

“One with such incomprehensible thoughts as you does not _need _a reason to commit atrocities,” Gundham said, scoffing. 

“It’s not that simple. This is a Killing Game, with strict rules,” Junko said. “I don’t have a reason to throw away my life for a prize we know nothing about.”    


“Then what about the motive? Is it possible that you wanted to have your Ultimate Talent removed,” Sayaka pointed out. 

“That’s fucking impossible! Being the Ultimate Despair is who I am!” Junko shouted, pointing aggressively at Sayaka. “If I don’t have despair, I’m not Junko Enoshima!” 

“Can any of Enoshima’s classmates think of a reason why she’d want to stop being the Ultimate Fasionista?” Rantaro asked. 

Most of them shook their head, with Hifumi answering, “Miss Enoshima’s status as a model got her status and influence, which was probably critical for her future plans. So there isn’t a reason for her want to discard that.”    


_ Junko is trying to control the direction of the debate. I need to redirect the flow of the conversation! _ _   
_

“Maybe we don’t need to know exactly why the Blackened killed Kaito. Just that they clearly had a strong motive,” Kaede said. “After all, even with all the preperation this murder scheme still had a massive risk.”   


“Kaito and the Blackened would have been standing on the roof. So they were exposed to the open air, where anyone could have seen them,” Korekiyo said, holding his arms out. “What a terrifying feeling it must have been, leaving their fate to chance!” 

“Knowing Junko, she wouldn’t have left a chance like that,” Chiaki said. “She would have made sure no one would see her commit the crime.”    


“You again, Chiaki. The one that got away, and never became one of my despairs,” Junko said, her voice dripping with sugary malice. ‘You are such a nuisance, but so cute! It makes me want to pinch those chubby cheeks of yours until I rip them off!”    


“...No thank you,” Chiaki said simply. 

“Then let’s get on with the debate already! All of you idiots are  taking too long !” Miu yelled. 

**Nonstop Debate**

Chiaki: “We know there must be a period when the Blackened and Kaito were visible to everyone. If they were seen, they would be finished.” 

Hifumi: “Then maybe the Blackened  _ timed their crime to when they knew no one would be looking?  _

Nagito: “But is there a time when everyone was  **looking away from the roof ** at the exact same time? It would certainly be a small window.”

Miu: “The killer wouldn’t need to rely on luck if they made sure that everyone was looking away from the roof first!” 

Junko: “There  **wasn’t anything that would draw everyone’s attention! ** And I certainly wouldn’t take such a needless risk! 

_ There has been one aspect of this case that hasn’t been connected with everything else. But through this debate, I should be able to make that strange incident clear! _

“ **NO, THAT’S WRONG!”**

* * *

“There was something that happened this morning that was very odd,” Kaede said. “Everyone else in the dining hall should remember what I’m talking about.”    


“Someone took the wooden mugs we used to drink hot chocolate, and burned them on the kitchen floor,” Rantaro said. “I get you, Kaede. What seemed like a random act of arson was in fact a calculated distraction by the Blackened.”    


“Come to think of it, Miss Akamatsu shouted at us to bring snow to the dining hall,” Hifumi said. “Because she needed our help to put out the fire.”   


“But why would Kaede need snow? Surely you could use the water from the kitchen sink to put out the fire,” Tenko pointed out.

“Normally, you’d be right, Tenko. But the sink was the first thing I tried,” Kaede explained. “And it was broken, so no water was coming out.” 

Korekiyo took up the rest of the explanation, saying, “I remember making tea for myself at around ten-thirty. The water was working at that time. When I investigated later, I discovered that the water line was sabotaged.” 

“A clear sign that the killer wanted to make sure that the fire could not be put out easily,” Ryoma said. “Hence, the need to use snow instead, which made Kaede call the others into the dining hall.”    


“Which meant there was a period of time when everyone’s eyes were away from the auditorium,” Chiaki said. “And that is the all the opportunity the Blackened needed to kill Momota.”    


“You’ve been awfully quiet, Junko. Are you really out of arguments already?” Nagito asked.    


“Puhuhu. Puhuhuhuhu…” Junko’s chilling laughter rang out through the trial room. “No, the reason I was quite is that I can’t believe how stupid you all are!” 

“Wh-what is it now?” Ishimaru asked, sweating profusely.    


“So, everyone is saying that the Blackened went into the kitchen, then put all the mugs on the floor before lighting them on fire,” Junko said. “And since you’re accusing me, that means I went into the kitchen, right?” 

“AAAAAHHHH! No one ever mentioned Junko being in the kitchen!” Tenko yelled, panicked. “She was outside the entire time!” 

“Tenko is right. Junko certainly never returned to the dining hall after leaving. That does poke a large hole into our theory,” Rantaro said, his voice bearing the smallest trace of concern. 

“No, all it means is that Enoshima did not cause the fire while in the kitchen,” Kaede quickly said. “We can’t write off the possibility until we’re sure it’s impossible!”    


“If you are suggesting an alternate method, be as precise and clear as you can,” Peko said. “This late into the class trial, we can ill afford a misstep.” 

_ No pressure or anything, right?  _ Kaede thought to herself, sweating. She tried her hardest to recall the kitchen exactly as it was that morning. “Okay, there are two important points to note here. The first is…” 

“ **I GET IT!** ” 

“When I looked into the kitchen after the murder, I noticed that one of the stovetops was burning,” Kaede explained. “I believe that the fire was started using that!”    


“I remember seeing that lit stovetop as well,” Korekiyo said. “It would be easy for the Blackened to light one mug, then place it with the rest so they’d burn as well.” 

“But that doesn’t solve the issue of how the fire was started from outside the dining hall,” Chiaki said, tugging on her hoodie. 

“I think it was possible! Which brings me to the second point I wanted everyone to consider,” Kaede said. As she talked, she kept a careful eye on Junko’s reaction. 

“ **I GET IT!” **

“Right above the stovetops, there was a window, and a rather large one at that,” Kaede said. “If the window was open, anyone could stick their body into it.”    


“Then, are you suggesting that the Blackened snuck into the kitchen through the window? I think someone would have heard that,” Tsumugi said.    


“That might not have been necessary If the mugs were placed on the floor ahead of time, the killer could have taken one mug with them. Then all they’d have to do is briefly stick their body inside the building,” Rantaro said. “Once inside, they would lower their mug until it caught fire, then drop it into the pile on the floor.” 

“That way, the murderer successfully fabricates the idea that the only one of the dining hall inhabitants could have ignited the blaze!” Gundham exclaimed. “Such is the true nature of their deception!” 

“Is that really what you believe? You peasants have been rambling on and on,” Junko said, putting her hands on her hips and now wearing a crown. “But you haven’t considered one thing.” 

_ ...Wait, where did she get that crown from?  _ Kaede was distracted for a second, then said, “What could possibly be wrong by this point? We’ve discussed almost everything related to the case.” 

“Your theory balances on a very fragile assumption. So I’m going to crush that assumption here and now!” 

**Nonstop Debate **

Ishimaru: “If the Blackened opened the window, then they could have lit the mugs on fire without needing to be inside!”    


Junko: “It’s just as likely that the arsonist  **was inside ** as they were outside. But that’s not the assumption I was talking about.”    


Rantaro: “Then tell us what it is, so we can settle this case once and for all. This is your last defense, after all. We’re leaning towards voting for you.”   


Junko: “If it  **wasn’t possible to open the window, ** then that must mean it was a person in the dining halls that lit the mugs on fire!” 

Rantaro: “Is there a reason why someone couldn’t open the window? That’s a bold claim to make this late into the class trial.”

Kaede agreed with Rantaro- for Junko to make such an absolute claim had to mean she was planning something.  _ I think… Enoshima is trying to trick us into accepting a certain answer. So I need to make sure she doesn’t get that answer!  _

**Teacup On The Windowsill ---> Empty Windowsill **

_ To make sure everyone escapes this killing game… to avenge Kaito, who trusted everyone… I will do what I must!  _

“ **I’ll turn this lie, into the truth!** ”

* * *

“No, I’m pretty sure that anyone could have opened the window into the dining hall.”    


Junko’s eyes narrowed at Kaede. “Yes, anyone is technically capable of opening a window, or at least they should. But the dining hall was special!”    


“It’s true that the dining hall was host to an unusual event, but I cannot recall anything related to the window,” Korekiyo said, deep in thought. 

“Yes, there was nothing special about the window when the murder happened!” Kaede exclaimed. A part of her was concerned she might be pushing the lie too hard, but not one else seemed to notice.    


“I’m sure everyone will remember when I refresh their memory. It’s something that was in plain view,” Junko said. “When I investigated the kitchen, I saw that someone had placed a teacup on the windowsill. So if the window had been opened, the cup would have smashed on the floor!” 

A heavy silence followed Junko’s statement. Once everyone processed her words, varying levels of confusion crossed their faces.    


“...No, I don’t remember there being anything on the windowsill,” Rantaro said, crossing his arms. “And if Korekiyo and Kaede doesn’t remember either, I’m inclined to believe them.”    


“Maybe they didn’t see the teacup, but it was there!” Junko shouted. “One of you must have seen it, so don’t lie!”    


“No, I didn’t see it either. But that does raise the question- why are you so convinced that it was there?” Chiaki asked. 

At this point, Kaede knew it was time to act. “Actually, Enoshima is right. There was a teacup, and I know about it, because… I took it.”    


From her backpack, Kaede removed the teacup she removed from the windowsill, and showed it to the rest of the students.    


Junko’s eyes were wide as she stared at the teacup in Kaede’s hands. “Why the fuck would you remove that? Isn’t that tampering with the scene of the crime?”    


“Yeah, that’s a pretty fucking crazy thing to do! And even crazier to just admit it to everyone!” Miu exclaimed. 

“Believe me, I had my reasons. I got to the kitchen first during the investigation, and did see that teacup on the windowsill,” Kaede explained. “But something about it rubbed me the wrong way. It just seemed unnatural to me.”    


“I get what you’re saying, Akamatsu. Earlier, Amami and Shinguji claimed they didn’t see the teacup either, and Shinguji in particular did go in the kitchen, to make himself tea,” Chiaki said. “If both of them remember the same thing, it must mean that the teacup was not on the windowsill before the murder.”    


“Don’t listen to Akamatsu! She’s a liar trying to trick you!” Junko shouted.    


“That’s what bugged me so much. If someone planted the teacup after the fact, it must have been for a purpose,” Kaede said, ignoring Junko. “I think it was to trick everyone.”    


“Shut up! Shut up shut up SHUT UP!” Junko screamed. 

“If people saw that the window couldn’t be opened without breaking the teacup during the investigation, they might also assume that was the case even before the murder,” Peko said. “And in turn, everyone would be convinced when Junko suggested it later.”    


“And why would Junko want to convince everyone that the window couldn’t be opened? Because then there would be no way she could be the Blackened! She planned this all from the beginning!” Kaede declared. 

Junko was breathing heavily, glaring hatefully at Kaede. “You had nothing on me, so instead you used such a dirty trick. Why should anyone believe you?”    


“I won’t deny that I lied to everyone, but only because I knew that you’d lie first,” Kaede said. “So I won’t lie again. Instead, I’m going to lay out your crime in front of everyone!” 

**CLOSING ARGUMENT**

**ACT 1: ** The day before the murder, Kaito gathered everyone in the dining hall, and outlined a plan he had. While everyone agreed with him out loud, one person believed differently. They are the Blackened that killed Kaito, and they must have started to plot their scheme that very night.

**ACT 2: ** The following morning, the Blackened acted like they were scared, and hugged Tenko in the dining hall. They used this chance to plant an incriminating note on her person secretly! Then they left the dining hall before anyone else, even Kaito, because they needed to set up the crime. What we didn’t know at the time was that the the Blackened had already lit a stovetop and taken a mug with them, but I’ll get to that later.   
****

**ACT 3: ** The setup of this murder has several more steps. First, the Blackened went to the dormitory, to take Maizono’s blanket from her bed. Then, they went to the storage shed, where they took both a sled and a ladder, and took them towards the auditorium. The important thing to remember is that only the killer was outside at this time! 

**ACT 4: ** Even so, people did start to leave the dining hall, starting with Kaito, so the Blackened had to act fast. They went back to the dining hall, and sabotaged its water source. After this, they opened the dining hall window, and using the lit stovetop, they lit a mug on fire, and dropped it onto a pile of mugs they left on the floor. 

**ACT 5: ** We know this happened after ten-thirty in the morning, thanks to Korekiyo. The Blackened crossed the snow field one last time, to head to the auditorium again. By this point, Kaito and Ishimaru had parted ways, and Kaito met the Blackened at the auditorium, where they convinced him to climb onto the roof. On such a high place, the killer could see all across the snowfield. So once they saw the fire drawing people to the dining hall, they took the chance to shove Kaito off the roof, killing him!    
****

**ACT 6: ** But even now, the Blackened wasn’t done. They wrapped Kaito’s body in Maizono’s blanket, then placed it on the sled. From there, Ishimaru spotted the sled, and not knowing the body was on it, took it the storage shed, where he discovered the body. As for the killer, shortly after the investigation started, the went to the dining hall, where the planted a teacup on the windowsill. This was to trick everyone during the class trial! And the one person responsible for all of this… 

“...is none other than you, Junko Enoshima!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, it's the end of the first trial. It has been a bit of a bumpy ride, getting everything out in some kind of timely fashion. I hope everyone has been enjoying this story so far. See you next time! Please review.


	14. Chapter 1, Trial V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of trial is here! By this point, all that's left is to uncover the last few mysteries left in the case. What kind of effect will the final truth have on everyone? Enjoy, everyone!

“If there’s any more room for argument, I’d like to hear it now,” Kaede said after she finished her explanation.    


“If you’re really going to vote for me, I’d like for you to think about it carefully,” Junko said, looking each and every student in the eye. “This vote could kill you all if you aren’t absolutely sure about it! Do you really want to vote based on a lie?”    


“Whoever Kaede votes for, I’ll vote for. I trust her!” Tenko declared. “Even if she lied, it was to stop you from tricking everyone!”    


“I’m still not entirely sure. Even now, there’s no proof that Junko was ever on the roof,” Hifumi said timidly.    


“I… I want to know for sure who killed Momota! So I’ll vote for the sake of finding out who it really is!” Ishimaru exclaimed.    


“To come so far, and to still be so unsure… this is a convoluted deception, to be sure,” Gundham said. 

“It looks like this trial is over, one way or another,” Rantaro said. “I don’t see how this debate could go on any longer.”    


“That’s right! Which means all that’s left to do is for everyone to vote for who you think the Blackened is,” Monokuma said. “The lives of everyone hangs in the balance of this one moment! It’s voting time!” 

On her podium screen, everyone’s names and faces lit up on unique buttons. Kaede pressed the button representing Junko Enoshima, and waited for everyone else to finish voting too.    


Kaede could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She had reached the end of her first, true class trial, and she didn’t know if she had truly managed to convince everyone of Junko being the killer. 

“It looks like the votes have been tallied. It’s time for the Blackened and the spotless to face off!” Monokuma declared. “Did you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong choice? Let’s find out!”

A giant screen descended into the trial ground, showing all sixteen students. Then the votes started to trickle in… two for Sayaka, three for Tenko, two for Peko, and eight for Junko. 

**CLASS TRIAL ADJOURNED **

“The majority of votes have been decided, and it’s by a razor thin margin of one vote!” Monokuma exclaimed with malicious glee. 

Now Kaede felt short of breath. It felt like she would pass out if Monokuma didn’t just get to the point already. Tenko noticed, as she kept shooting Kaede concerned glances.

“It looks like… your votes are absolutely right! The Blackened that killed Kaito Momota was none other than Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Analyst!” 

“Wait, Ultimate Analyst?” Kaede asked, confused. “I thought her talent was Ultimate Fashionista?”    


“Puhuhu. Phuhuhuhuhu! Ha ha ha ha ha!” Junko laughed, but it was a desperate, empty laugh. “My carefully constructed scheme… it’s fallen to pieces, and all at the last second!” 

“It looks like Enoshima has finally conceded her loss,” Korekiyo said, his voice laced with disgust. 

“Kaede Akamatsu. You were an unexpectedly strong-willed opponent.” Junko said, for once not speaking through any kind of persona, but as herself. “In recognition of that, I promise to tell only the truth from now on! Starting with this: my true, original talent is indeed the Ultimate Analyst.”   


“That would explain your uncanny ability to fool everyone without breaking so much as a sweat,” Rantaro said. “You’re clearly very experienced at this.”   


“But why did you kill Momota?!” Ishimaru asked. 

“To explain that, first, I have to explain my talent. I am capable of putting together plans in my head, and adapt them in a heartbeat,” Junko explained. “I can look at any situation, and figure out everything about it.”    


“This is how Junko has been able to rally people to her side throughout her life,” Nagito said. “She breaks down your confidence without you realizing it’s happening, then tells you what she wants you to hear, while making you think it’s what you need to hear.” 

Gundham glowered and looked away from everyone, while Peko closed her eyes and clenched her fists. 

“After Momota told everyone his plan, I was ready to go along with it, if only to see what would happen,” Junko said. “But as I lay back in bed thinking about it, I used my talent reflexively. I analyzed everything about Momota’s plan, and discovered something in the process.” 

“Then being the heartless void that you are, you decided to destroy Momota’s plan to stop it from taking flight!” Gundham said.    


“That’s where everyone has it all wrong. You see, when I analyzed the plan, I discovered a crucial, cruel fact- it was doomed to fail from the beginning.” 

“Th-that can’t be true! You’re just saying that to try and break out spirits again!” Tenko yelled.    


“But I’m not lying! I promised to only tell the truth. But since the truth seems to be filling you with such despair, I’ll definitely keep going!” Now grinning maliciously, Junko continued, “With the plan doomed to fail, I had two options- either let it go ahead, and bring mass execution onto myself and everyone, or to stop it at all costs.”    


“So you felt your only choice was to kill Kaito? Are you really claiming that you did this to save everyone?” Tsumugi asked.    


“It was a really tough choice to make, but in the end, stopping Momota meant that everyone else would remain trapped in this killing game, forced to watch each other die one by one,” Junko said. “So that’s what I went with!”    


“You… you truly are awful! You still didn’t have to kill Momota if all you wanted to do was stop him!” Sayaka cried out. 

“That’s a good point, Maizono. There were any number of ways to stop Momota without killing him. Even by using force, you could have knocked him out,” Chiaki said. “By resorting to murder, you cut your options to only two- getting away with it, or being executed. You must have wanted something else badly enough to go through with it. Was it the motive? Did you want to no longer be the Ultimate Analyst?” 

Junko stopped, and stared at Chiaki for a long moment. No emotion passed through her face. “No longer have… my talent? That would mean I would be just like everyone else. In a situation like this, it would mean being constantly afraid, and not knowing what’s going to happen next.”    


“Of course a disgusting person like you would consider that a good thing. You should never have been named an Ultimate,” Nagito said, sneering.    


“If you’re not going to say anything useful, then shut up already!” Tenko yelled.    


“Did I want to throw away my talent? The answer to that… is something I’m not saying~!” Junko said in a singsong voice. “So you have to wonder about it for the rest of your lives!”    


“Will you get on with it already? Even from you, I’m only capable of putting up with so much rambling,” Monkuma growled. 

“Then I’ll cut to the chase! When preparing this murder, I made sure to throw suspicion everywhere possible. Using Sayaka’s blanket, planting a note on Chabashira, leaving the sled with the body for anyone to find- I hoped to confuse everyone into voting wrong,” Junko said. “And it almost worked, if not for you, Akamatsu.” 

“But, you must have killed Momota by the time that me and Chabashira were in the auditorium, sparring. So why did neither of us hear it happen?” Peko asked.    


“Because all the buildings are soundproofed. I’m surprised no one noticed,” Junko said. “Didn’t any of you wonder why no one from the auditorium or dormitories heard Kaede’s call about the fire?”    


“...Sometimes, you miss what’s right in front of your face. Go figure,” Ryoma said, while everyone else was too stunned to speak. 

“I’m about to die soon, and my mind can’t help but go back to when I climbed onto the roof with Momota,” Junko said, a strangely excited look on her face. “When I stepped onto the roof, for the first time I saw what beyond the wall. The sight… it was so devastating, for a moment I almost forgot why I was there!” 

“Does this have something to do with the plan being ‘doomed to fail’? Because you still haven’t explained that,” Hifumi said.    


“I’m getting to it!” Junko exclaimed, enjoying the attention. “Now, I might have stayed in my trance, but then Momota joined me. Then he saw what was over the wall too, and…” 

* * *

_ “So what exactly was so urgent for me to see, Junko? I’m in the middle of-” Then Kaito’s eyes took in the view before him. Kaito’s face went pale, and his legs started shaking.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “N-no… this can’t be! This has to be impossible!” Kaito rubbed his eyes, as if it could change what he was seeing. “I refuse to let everything we’ve done be for nothing!”  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Oh don’t worry, Kaito. You can still be the hero you so desperately want to be,” Junko said, approaching him from behind. “In fact, soon you won’t have to worry anymore.”  _ _   
_

_ “What are you talking about? As my sidekick, you need to lean on me! I will… I will find a way out of this!” Kaito declared, even as his voice shook.  _

_ “Stubborn until the very end, huh? I would have liked to have spent more time to you, to break that spirit of yours completely. But this is goodbye, Kaito Momota.” Before Kaito could process Junko’s words, she placed her hands on his back and shoved as hard as she could. _

* * *

“For my final gift of despair to everyone, I am going to share just what it was we saw on that roof,” Junko said. Looking out at her fellow students, she took a deep breath and said, “What was saw was none other than-”    


“Okay, time’s up! Now that the Blackened has confessed to everything, it’s time to move onto the bloody finale of every class trial.” Monokuma said. “The heart-pounding execution!”    


“It looks like I won’t be the one make that reveal. Life’s tough, isn’t it? Oh well,” Junko said, still not seeming too bothered about her impending death. “There is one last thing I wanted to know, Akamatsu. How did you think of that brilliantly underhanded trick?”   


“...!” Kaede didn’t answer, but she did tense up. The fact that her gambit had damaged her trust with everyone else made her feel guilty it was necessary. 

“I didn’t think anyone would catch on to my little scheme. It would take a mental leap to figure out why I put teacup where I did. Unless you…” Junko’s eyes widened, and she laughed. “Unless you think just like me. Have you killed someone before?”    


“Wh-what does that matter? Me killing someone before has nothing to do with this case!” Kaede blurted out. When she realized what she said, everyone that wasn’t her classmate was already looking at her with shock and suspicion.   


“Looks like I was right! And you didn’t tell anyone? That’s not very nice of you,” Junko said, having the time of her life. 

“Why are you like this? How can you just stand there, enjoying yourself, after killing Momota so callously? Have you no soul?” Ishimaru shouted, on the verge of tears. 

“But I do have a soul! Even after only a few days with Momota, it became clear that he trusted me without reservation,” Junko said. “So having to kill him filled me with the most delicious despair! And even now, I still have my regrets.” 

“What could you possibly have to regret?” Chiaki asked with barely disguised contempt.    


“Before this gets too boring, I’m going to shake things up for everyone! And so, I have prepared a very special punishment for Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Analyst!”    


“My biggest regret… is that I won’t get to experience the full despair of a killing game as just another participant,” Junko said wistfully.    


“Let’s give it everything we’ve got! It’s punishment time!” 

**Junko Enoshima has been found guilty**

**Commencing Execution**

Junko waved at the rest of her classmates with a shameless grin on her face. Then a steel manacle abruptly clamped around her neck, dragging her across the floor, before dragging her into a hole in the trial ground.    


Landing painfully on the ground, Junko found herself in a room that was mainly a sterile white. But in the distance in front of her, she spotted many death traps- flame pits, sharp edges, and thorny floors. 

Junko stood on her feet, and immediately made a mad dash towards the corridor of death in front of her, but the manacle around the neck forced her to a stop, and Junko fell on her back again. Glaring at it, she tried to tear it off. 

Then Junko felt restraints getting clamped onto her ankles, and looking down she noticed that her left leg was turning purple. Then more restraints grabbed her wrists, and forced her onto the floor. Then Junko felt like her body started burning. 

Desperately she thrashed about, even as her left arm turned purple as well. She dug her nails so hard into her palms that started to bleed, and welts were visible on her ankles. Then Junko’s entire body seized up, before finally going completely still, and the manacle around her neck retreated. 

* * *

Kaede had never seen someone else’s execution. But even after how thoroughly despicable Junko revealed herself to be, watching her death still shook Kaede to her core.    


“The self-described Ultimate Despair is now nothing but a stepping stone for everyone else!” Nagito exclaimed. “Not other fate is fitting for-”    


“Nagito. Please be quiet for once.” Chiaki said. 

Surprisingly, Nagito did stop talking, though Kaede didn’t like the look in his eyes. 

“We were so united before, but now Enoshima took advantage of that and killed Kaito! Can we possibly trust each other after this?” Tsumugi asked.    


“Don’t say such pessimistic things!” Tenko exclaimed. “That’s all the more reason to try and get past this! We can’t let Monokuma get to us!”    


“Puhuhu… many students have said that before, and it’s always been hollow words,” Monokuma said. 

“Indeed. To bare your neck to your predator can only ever end one way,” Gundham said, his arms crossed. 

“Let’s not jump to any conclusions! We still don’t know if Enoshima’s words were true or false!” Kaede said quickly. 

“Come to think about it, all of you have been talking about some kind of plan these past few days,” Monokuma said, tilting his head. “Surely, you weren’t all foolish enough to come up with an escape plan? That would be punishable by mass execution!”    


“We don’t have to tell you anything!” Ishimaru yelled. “If no rules have actually been broken, then you have no right to punish us!”    


“Grr… you’re right, but I don’t like your tone,” Monokuma growled.    


“Kaede is right. We must know the full truth behind this murder,” Ryoma said. “Monokuma. Could you show us what’s on the other side of the wall?” 

“Normally, I’d refuse, because participants don’t get to just make demands. But as it happens, I was already planning on revealing that after the first class trial.” Monokuma pushed a button on his podium. “So ready or not, here it comes!”    


The giant screen changed from the voting screen to a view of the snow-covered field. The view swiveled around, showing the dormitories, dining hall, auditorium, and even the lab area in the distance. Then, the camera view slowly started turning around, away from the snow field and now showing- 

The first thing that Kaede processed was the view of the sky, a bright blue that stretched out for miles. Then she saw more blue, and was confused for a moment, until she realized it wasn’t the sky, but the ocean. 

_ I can’t see the ground. Where’s the ground?!  _

As if responding to her thoughts, the camera now looked down. Kaede could see several strange areas, also surrounded by walls, and at the very bottom, she could see what looked like a beach. But the beach was barely visible, because it seemed to be hundreds of miles away.    


“So this entire time, have we seriously been on the top of a fucking mountain?”    


Miu’s words echoed through the room, but Kaede could barely hear them. A sense of utter hopelessness was numbing her body.  _ Kaito’s plan… it really was pointless from the beginning. What are we going to do now?  _

“Now that’s the kind of pervasive despair I want to see! At last, I can do a proper introduction of our special get together!” Monokuma declared triumphantly. “Welcome… to the Grand Killing Game of Kismet Island! Ah ha ha ha ha ha!”    
  
**Chapter 1, Aria of the Dreamer: End **

**Surviving Students: 14 **

**You received the Bear Hairpins! A memento of Junko Enoshima. Paradoxical hairpins perfectly suited to the paradoxical Junko, who eternally hoped for despair. **

**To be continued. **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That concludes the opening to this Danganronpa story. Next time, the cast dive into the mysteries at large surrounding their circumstances. Now, this story is actually going on break for the next week, to give me and my team time to relax. In the meantime, the readers can process everything revealed thus far. See you next time! Please review.


	15. Chapter 1, Extra Scene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, and Merry Christmas to all my readers! Partially in apology for the delay, today I am posting two things. The first being the extra scene I promised everyone for correctly guessing the Blackened! So enjoy this short look into the aftermath of the first trial.

Everyone took the elevator back to the snow-covered field. The walls surrounding them took on a new, cruel meaning.    


Kaede noticed that everyone headed towards the dormitories. She understood why- she personally felt like crawling under her sheets and never getting out.    


_ I can’t afford to think like that. Now that Kaito is gone, I need to make sure that everyone else survives.  _

That would be easier said than done- she’d damaged her trust with everyone else during the class trial. Kaede wouldn’t be surprised if everyone asked her questions about her status as a Blackened come tomorrow.    


Once they arrived at the dormitories, Kaede headed to her room. But before she entered, she happened to noticed Ishimaru pass by the door to his room, heading somewhere else instead. 

Worried about Ishimaru, Kaede decided to follow after him, and saw his destination: Kaito’s room. 

Entering inside, Kaede found that the room fit Kaito perfectly- clothes were strewn around the floor, while on the walls of the room Kaito had pinned star charts that he seemed to have drawn himself. For a moment, Kaede was awed by the constellations drawn on the star charts. 

Then she heard a sound, and saw that Ishimaru had opened the closet. Inside were multiple copies of Kaito’s outfit. Kaede’s closet also had copies of her clothes, so she assumed it was the same for everyone else.    


From the closet, Ishimaru took out one of Kaito’s coats. Then he turned around, which is when he finally noticed Kaede there. “What are you doing here, Kaede?!” 

“Don’t panic, Taka! I wanted to check up on you,” Kaede quickly said. “I wanted to make sure that you were doing okay after the class trial.”

Ishimaru hung his head. “I’m not sure, actually. A part of me still can’t believe that Momota is dead. He had everyone’s best interest at heart. He tried being friends with Junko, and she killed him!” 

“I know this is going to be tough to process. I still haven’t, myself,” Kaede admitted. “But I think what Kaito would want is for the rest of us to escape this place!”    


“But… how are we going to escape?” Ishimaru asked. 

That, Kaede didn’t have an answer to, given what Monokuma revealed at the end of the class trial. Even still… “We can’t give up! Kaito refused to give up until the very end, so we should do the same!” 

“I… I know, Kaede! I want to follow Momota’s example. Which is why I decided to come here,” Ishimaru said, looking down at Kaito’s jacket in his hands. “I don’t think I have the strength to walk on my own yet. Which is why I hope that wearing this will help me, even a little.” 

“Do whatever you think will help, Taka,” Kaede said, smiling at her friend. “But for now, let’s go to our rooms and go to sleep.”    


Ishimaru nodded meekly, and followed behind Kaede. Once she made sure that he had gone to his room, Kaede returned to her own room.    


She didn’t know what would happen now. But in Kaito’s memory, she would do everything in her power to bring everyone together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This won't be all from me- soon after this, Chapter 2 will debut! So I'll meet everyone at the end of that.


	16. Chapter 2, Daily Life I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, at the start of Chapter 2! There is a new status quo to establish, and of course previous revelations to consider. So ready or not, things truly begin now. Enjoy, my readers!

The morning after Kaito’s trial, Monokuma called everyone to gather at a certain location. That location ended up being the elevator that was built into the side of the wall.    


Kaede looked at the elevator curiously.  _ The elevators with the red doors took us to the class trial grounds, so where do these go?  _

“Somehow, you losers managed to make it through a class trial,” Monokuma said. “So that deserves to be rewarded.”    


“Could you quit calling us losers?!” Tenko shouted.    


Ignoring this, Monokuma continued, “These elevators will take you down to a new part of Kismet Island. And it will be your new home until the next murder!”    


“I get it. So that’s your set up,” Rantaro said, his arms crossed. “The more murders we commit, the closer you’ll take us to the shore of this island.” 

“There won’t be any more murders!” Ishimaru yelled, pulling his Kaito's jacket, which he had draped on his shoulders, close to his body. “Momota wouldn’t want us to kill again.”   


“Pu hu hu hu. But if that space case hadn’t been killed, all of you would have been stuck in this desolate place-” Monokuma gestured to the snowfield around it. “Until you either starved or froze to death. Is that what he would have wanted?”    


Ishimaru didn’t have an answer to that, biting back useless frustrations.    


“It looks like we don’t have a choice. Into the breach we go!” Hifumi declared dramatically. 

The fourteen students walked into the elevator. Briefly, they could only see the four walls of the cramped space- a feeling akin to when they were being brought to the trial ground. 

The elevators eventually stopped, and opened to let everyone into a whole new environment. 

The first thing that Kaede had to do was cover her eyes when bright lights blinded her. When her eyesight adjusted, she took in the view before her.    


“This looks like… a miniature city?” The walls blocked out the sunlight partially, leaving the buildings bathed in a light of perpetual twilight.    


“Not just any city. This looks like a den of sin and temptation,” Gundham said. 

Looking closer, Kaede could see what he was saying. The buildings looked similar to casinos, with bright lights and large signs.    


“This is very gaudy. I don’t understand why someone would make a place like this,” Peko said, distaste clear in her tone.    


“What we need to find is a good sparring location! If nothing else, to not have to look at all this ugly stuff,” Tenko said. 

“That’s enough jabbering! Get out and explore already!” Monokuma, despite being so short, shoved everyone out of the elevator, the doors closing soon after.    


Miu immediately pushed the button to call the elevator back, but nothing happened. “This is a shitty elevator if it’s already broken!” 

“Oh, it’s not broken. Didn’t you hear me earlier? This is where you’ll live now.” On those words, Monokuma vanished, not leaving time for anyone to interrogate him.    


“It looks like we’ve been barred from our previous location,” Korekiyo said. “Unfortunate, if one of us had a pressing reason to return there.”    


In fact, Kaede wanted to see if she could access the mysterious lab again. She wanted to take a closer look at the pods they’d woken up in, and the room with the floating blue flame. 

Meanwhile, Rantaro said, “Looks like we really are on a mountain. Look behind the elevator.”    


Everyone looked at where he was pointing, and saw that the elevator had been built into a rock face. Also built into the same rock face was a pair of red doors.    


“I guess we were on the peak of the mountain before. Everything about that place was a trick that Monkuma was playing on us,” Kaede said, gripping her arm. “We can’t let him manipulate us again!” 

“Agreed. For now, let’s explore everything there is to see in this place,” Chiaki said. “So we can be prepared for whatever Monokuma has planned next.”    


With nothing else to discuss, everyone went into the different buildings. All of them were on the same strip of road, so Kaede decide to start with the one that was closest to her.

Inside was a set of tables, along with a cabinet filled with bottles that seemed to have different liquids. Kaede spotted Miu and, of all people, Chiaki.    


“Hello, Miu! Hello, Nanami!” Kaede called out. “Do you have an idea of what this place is?”    


“It’s a massage parlor. They have all kinds of oils here to rub all over your body,” Miu said, her face bright red. “Not that I’d let any of you lame asses touch my banging hot body!” 

“I don’t believe anyone was offering…” Kaede said dryly.  _ Though getting a massage does sound really nice.  _

“Shut it, Kaeidiot!” Miu snapped. “After getting exposed in front of everyone in the class trial, I’m surprised you can show your face.”   


“Hey, I exposed Junko at least! So I did manage to save everyone,” Kaede pointed out. Then she paused when she realized she accidentally made the same innuendo as Miu. 

In the short silence, Chiaki said, “It’s difficult to know what’s right in circumstances like this. What’s important is that we don’t turn on each other.”    


“Easy for you to say, you braindead shortstack,” Miu said, scoffing. “That’s asking to get stabbed in the back.”    


Chiaki tilted her head, studying Miu closely. “...You sound like you personally know what you’re talking about, Iruma. Something that happened during your Killing Game, perhaps?”   


“Don’t talk like you know what the fuck you’re talking about!” Miu shouted. “I’m done with this conversation!”    


Miu stormed out of the room, and Chiaki watched her leave. “I haven’t known Iruma for very long, and she seems very… troublesome. Still, she’s stuck in this situation, same as the rest of us.”    


“I get what you mean, Nanami. I’ve been classmates with Miu for forever, and she’s too much even for me sometimes,” Kaede said, sighing.  _ Wait, I haven’t known Miu for that long, but I guess it just feels like it.  _

It didn’t seem like there was anything else to the massage parlor, so Kaede left to the next building on the strip. The next building was much taller, and had a sign in front of it read, “Love Hotel.”    


“Nope. Whatever’s in there, I’m not interested.” Kaede turned around and noticed that Ryoma was behind her. “Ah! You shouldn’t stand behind a person like that!” 

“Hpmh. You need to be more cautious, Kaede. It’s no good to let your guard down around a guy like me,” Ryoma said, putting his hands in his pocket. “It’s bad for your health.”   


“You’ve painted a large target on yourself, Akamatsu,” Peko said, arriving at the love hotel as well. “I’m surprised you aren’t displaying more prudence.” 

“Look, I did what I had to do. I don’t want anyone else to die if I can help it! Even if I don’t know you, that doesn’t give me any reason to be against you,” Kaede said.    


“...There’s no reason to believe me either, but now is not the time to discuss this. Are you going in there?” Peko asked, looking at the hotel in front of them.    


“I guess now that you guys are here, I have no other choice. May as well get it over with!” Kaede marched inside with determination. 

For being labeled a love hotel, the inside looked surprisingly normal. Bright pink, to be sure, but inside were eight doors that led to rooms. Reading the labels, Kaede saw that only girls stayed here.    


“I see stairs,” Ryoma said, pointing farther in. “The rooms for the boys could be up there.”   


“Then are these the new dormitories? Because last time, they were all on the same floor,” Kaede said, confused. “So why would it be different this time?”

Monokuma popped up out of nowhere. “Allow me to explain! In a place like this, passions can run red-hot! So having guys and girls with rooms next to each other is inviting trouble.”

“Aren’t you the one that designed this place? That seems like an arbitrary reason to split up the dorms,” Kaede pointed out. 

“Those are my rules, so you have to live with them!” Monokuma shouted. “If you want to sneak into a dorm to murder, that’s none of my business! But I need to keep this production PG-13, so no illicit affairs!”   


“There’s so much wrong with that logic, it’s not even worth commenting on it further,” Ryoma said, rolling his eyes. 

“Hang on. Are you showing this to an audience so you’d have to worry about ratings?” Kaede asked. 

“Whoops, it looks like I might have said too much! You’ll learn about it eventually, so don’t worry too much,” Monokuma said, chuckling. “Just enjoying your killing game life to the fullest!”   


Monokuma left, after which Kaede shook her head. “That was probably meant to mess with us and make it harder for us to sleep. We should completely ignore it.”   


“Even so, I will search my room to make sure nothing has been planted there,” Peko said, before heading to that very location.    


“I’ll stay here as well, to make sure that’s all she does. What about you, Kaede?” Ryoma asked.    


“I think I’ll keep looking. There’s much more to this place.” Kaede was starting to notice a pattern. It didn’t surprise her that the next building she entered turned out to be a dining hall.

In sharp contrast to the wooden building previously, the new dining hall was glitzy, and arranged more like a restaurant. Inside were none other than Rantaro and Nagito.    


“I don’t understand why Monokuma designed this place like this,” Rantaro said. “By the looks of it, we still have to make our own food. There are different ingredients than before.”   


“There really isn’t a point in trying to understand it. Things will probably go on as normal,” Kaede said dryly. 

“Most likely. So we need to figure out how to make things not go as normal,” Rantaro said, crossing his arms. “Because we need to prevent another murder.”   


“Is that even possible? Every circumstance is working against us. Right now, it would take a miracle to defeat the despair that we are trapped in,” Nagito said.    


“But you’re always going on about supporting hope, right? So you should help us defeat this killing game!” Kaede exclaimed. 

“I will always be on the side of the biggest hope. It could be you, Akamatsu. It could be someone else.” Then Nagito glared at Rantaro. “Of course, some of us may be unworthy of being a hope in the first place.”   


_ Wait, what did Rantaro do?  _ Kaede wondered to herself. 

“I know I seem like a suspicious guy, but believe me when I say that I’m harmless,” Rantaro said, holding his hands up. “I suppose it doesn’t help that I still don’t remember what my talent is.” 

“The last time I met someone who claimed not to remember their talent, it turned out that they didn’t have a talent in the first place,” Nagito said, his disdain clear. “What if the story is the same with you?”   


“Even if Rantaro doesn’t have a talent, that shouldn’t matter!” Kaede yelled. “He’s still our classmate! I want him to escape along with the rest of us.”    


“Akamatsu. You are far too kind, worrying even about the common trash,” Nagito said, wearing his enigmatic smile. “I wouldn’t mind following your hope for a while.”   


“Only for a while? That’s not very reassuring…” Kaede said. Of all the people that weren’t her classmates, she felt she understood Nagito the least. Still, she wanted to at least try.    


“You have other places to be, Kaede. We’ll probably be called together later,” Rantaro said, gesturing towards the tallest building in the distance.    


“Okay, I’ve got the message. See you soon, Rantaro!” Exiting the dining hall, Kaede went towards the building in the center of the new area. The first thing of note was the large sign on it, which read “Kismet Casino”. 

“The more I explore this place, the more I get confused,” Kaede said, eyeing the sign.    


“Same here, Kaede!” Tenko exclaimed, approaching. “This was probably built for the mastermind’s sick amusement, but I can’t figure out anything else besides that.”    


“Let’s go inside.” Pushing the double doors, Kaede’s sight was filled was the sight of different games- slot machines, card tables, dice tables, counters with what looked like prizes behind them. Stairs indicated that there was a second floor to the place.    


“There doesn’t seem to be anyone running this place,” Kaede noted. “I wonder if that will change later?”    


“I’d rather we not play anything in the first place! The temptation of gambling is bad for your spirit!” Tenko exclaimed.    


“Well said, Chabashira!” Now Ishimaru was walking towards them from deeper in the casino. “We’re teenagers, so it’s illegal for us to gamble in the first place.”    


“Hey, Ishimaru!” Tenko’s expression became gentle. “How are you holding up?”    


“As well as I can be, I suppose,” Ishimaru answered, tugging at the lapels of his jacket. “I want to keep living, for our classmates that can’t anymore.” 

“When you say classmates, do you mean Junko as well? Even after what she did?” Kaede asked.   


“...If you’re asking if I forgive Junko, the answer is no,” Ishimaru said. “But even more unforgivable is Monokuma, for forcing her, and all of us into such a horrible situation!”    


“That’s right! The true enemy will always be Monokuma!” Tenko declared. “We can’t afford to fall for his tricks again!”    


Kaede did feel reassured to see Ishimaru doing better, and Tenko with her usual high spirits. “If you need anything, Ishimaru, don’t be afraid to ask us!” 

There was still the entire second floor of the casino to explore, and Kaede wanted to talk with everyone at some point, to plan their next move. So today was far from over for her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of the details shown so far, which are significant? I leave it to the readers to puzzle this out. With the start of Chapter 2, I also ask the audience to vote on the new FTEs. The poll is here: http://www.strawpoll.me/19132952. I look forward to sharing more of this story with everyone soon. See you next time! Please review.


	17. Chapter 2, Daily Life II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter of Discordant Echoes in 2020! Where we learn more about the new circumstances our students are in. What new clues are going to be found? As another note: there is art that is going to be added to this chapter as a later point, so keep an eye out for that. Enjoy, my readers! 1/11/20 edit: Art now added into the chapter.

The second floor of the casino was much different than the first- it didn’t seem to have any gambling games at first glance. In fact, the floor went in two directions: One to a door marked “Manager’s Office”, while the other lead to a room labeled “Entertainment Hall”. 

Then second floor also had railing, which let Kaede look out over the rest of the casino. At least, some of it. Some of the view was obstructed by what looked like a large, flat wall. 

Near that wall was none other than Tsumugi and Gundham. But as Kaede got closer to them, she noticed… 

“Uh, what are you guys doing?” Kaede asked, taking in the strange poses they were doing. 

“Oh? Are you approaching me, Kaede? Because if you are, I’d have to fight you,” Tsugumi said, pointing dramatically at Kaede. 

“No, I don’t want to fight you!” Kaede exclaimed. 

“I knew you would say that, maiden of the ivory keys! If you remain so predictable, it won’t end well for you,” Gundham said, smirking. 

Kaede sighed in frustration. “I was going to ask what was up with the wall behind you, but maybe I should go somewhere else and save myself a headache.”

“Oh, that’s not a wall! This is part of a giant gacha machine from downstairs,” Tsumugi said. She patted the “wall”, revealing a square outline on it. “I think this is some kind of hatch for the machine.” 

“Now I’m wondering why it has to be so big,” Kaede said, looking at what she now knew was the back of a larger machine. 

“I could show you the front of it later, Kaede! But first, you really need to go somewhere with me!” Tsumugi grabbed Kaede’s hand, and dragged her towards the entertainment hall, with Gundham following behind them. 

Inside turned out to be the last thing that Kaede expected- in the center of the room was a grand piano. Looking around, Kaede saw other things: On one end, what looked like a small theater, on the other end a large stage. 

“The purpose of this room appears to be distracting us with fleeting moments of a dream,” Gundham said, studying the room. “But I shall surpass such vague illusions!” 

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with taking a break to do something nice for yourself,” Kaede said. In that moment, she made up her mind. “In fact, I’ll demonstrate it to you, with a quick performance!” 

“Oh, so we’re finally going to see you put your fingers to good use, Kaede!” Tsumugi exclaimed excitedly. 

Kaede felt her face going red. “Okay, maybe don’t talk to me like Miu right before I perform.” Stretching her fingers, she approached the grand piano. As she seated herself in front of it- 

_ Tight… too tight… Kaede’s neck burned… _

Kaede gasped as she pulled herself from the unwanted recollections. Focusing her eyes on the piano keys, she tried to lower her fingers towards them- 

_ And she could no longer breathe! She had to get this manacle off her neck, but her feet weren’t even touching the ground, except when they were touching giant piano keys instead. And she couldn’t take it-! _ _   
_

“What ails you, Akamatsu?” Gundham’s voice cut through the fog in Kaede’s head. He sounded concerned for the first time. 

“N-nothing. I guess I’m not up to a performance right now. But maybe later,” Kaede said, even as she felt sweat run down her face. 

“Oh, that’s a shame. I was so looking forward to hearing you play,” Tsumugi said. “I guess we explore more instead. Want to come with me, Tanaka? I could use your dark forces.” 

“I am not one at your beck and call, vixen shapeshifter,” Gundham said. Yet he followed behind Tsumugi regardless. 

Kaede lagged behind them, thinking about what happened. As the Ultimate Pianist, she really only had playing piano in her life. So to not even have that… 

_ Damn you, Monokuma. I won’t let you keep haunting me like this! I’m going to learn to play the piano all over again. That way, I can play it for everyone. _

Exiting the entertainment hall, Kaede saw Sayaka coming up from the stairs. “Hello, Maizono! How much have you explored?” 

“Almost everywhere except here. But you look like you could use some company, Akamatsu,” Sayaka said, looking at Kaede. “So I’ll go wherever you go.” 

“No, don’t let me keep you from somewhere you need to be! I’ll be fine on my own,” Kaede said, feeling guilty about holding up Sayaka. 

“You don’t look very fine. But if you want me to go where I’m needed…” Sayaka walked up next to Kaede, then smiled. “There, I’ve arrived.” 

That brought a smile to Kaede’s face. “That means a lot to me, Maizono! Okay, let’s see what we find, then.” 

Since she was already headed that way, Kaede guided Sayaka to the door to the manager’s office. Already there was Hifumi. 

“Greetings, Miss Akamatsu and Miss Maizono. You’re a lovely sight for sore eyes,” Hifumi said, rubbing his chin. “Were you also curious of what lay behind this door?”

“I guess that’s right. I mean, there are only fourteen of us on this island if you don’t count Monokuma,” Kaede said. “So I wonder who the heck this office is even for.” 

“That is none of your business!” Monokuma yelled, causing everyone else to shriek from his sudden appearance. 

“Don’t scare us like that!” Sayaka exclaimed, holding her chest. “You’ll make us have a heart attack!” 

“Oh, that wouldn’t do at all! But, still, I insist that you stay away from this door,” Monokuma said. “What’s behind it is far too much for your sensitive eyes.” 

“So you’re saying that maybe what’s behind the door could reveal who the mastermind is?” Kaede asked, even as she knew what answer she would probably get. 

“That’s quite a leap of logic you’re making,” Monokuma said, his red eye glowing wickedly. “If you’re going to think like that, I’m going to cut you off ahead of time. It’s officially against the rules to enter the manager’s room!”

Kaede heard the sound of her Monopad beep, and when she took it out the screen was on the rules page. 

**Temporary rule 1: No student may enter the Manager’s Office. Anyone who does will be executed on the spot by Monokuma. **

“Which reminds me. Now would be a good time to set a few things straight.” Monokuma vanished, before his voice echoed everywhere in the casino.

“Attention to all students. Please gather into the entertainment hall at once! I have a compulsory announcement about your stay here.” 

“If we have to go there, we may as well go together,” Sayaka said, still smiling. Though this time, Kaede could tell it was the idol putting up a front. “I’d like to see what it looks like too.” 

Despite having left it only a few minutes ago, Kaede was back in the entertainment hall. The rest of the students slowly filtered in, and once everyone was inside, they waited for their captor to make their move. 

At the stage on the far right side of the entertainment hall, Monokuma appeared, bringing with him a small microphone. 

“Greetings! So how have you been enjoying your new abode so far?” Monokuma asked. 

“They’re certainly comfortable enough digs,” Rantaro said casually. “This might be too much glitz and glamour for me, but I can put up with it.” 

“I have more than a few complaints!” Ishimaru shouted. “Why are you encouraging illegal, immoral behavior?” 

“Oh pipe down, you stick in the mud,” Miu scoffed. “Why do you even care? It’s not like this place has police or any kind of authority figure.” 

“But! But! It’s important to do the right thing just for the sake of it!” Ishimaru said, his voice trembling. 

“Miu, do not let yourself fall into corruption so easily!” Tenko chimed in. “This place has Monokuma’s gross touch all over it!”

“Stop interrupting me!” Monokuma cut in. “Now, I am here to let you know that you should enjoy everything this place has to offer while you can. Because tomorrow, you might not be able to enjoy anything.” 

“I suppose that means you plan to unveil a new motive tomorrow.” Ryoma said. 

“Oh, I don’t plan to unveil any old motive. Puhuhuhu…” Monokuma’s laughter rang in the air. “Twenty-four hours from now, I plan to unveil the grand prize for this Grand Killing Game!” 

“In other words, you plan to reveal the ‘special privilege’ detailed in the rules,” Chiaki said, deep in thought. “A motive powerful enough to persist over a long time.” 

“This is very carefully calculated. Even this twenty-four hour period is likely meant to turn our minds against ourselves,” Korekiyo said. “Kehehehe… I wonder if what you have prepared can be worse than what we can imagine?”

“Don’t say something so pessimistic! That’s doing half of Monokuma’s work for him!” Tenko exclaimed, alarmed. 

“That’s all I have to announce. So feel free to fill the rest of your time with youthful memories. Because very soon, it may be all you have left in life…” 

On those ominous words, Monokuma vanished again. Kaede felt unsettled by the words, on top of being unable to play piano. 

Which is why Kaede raised her voice and said, “Okay, Monokuma is clearly trying to get to us. So we can’t listen to him, and-” 

“Why should we listen to you?” Miu suddenly asked. “You killed someone, and tried to hide it. You lied during the first trial. And you really have the gall to try and act like you know better?”

“I’m not acting like I know better! I don’t want anyone else to die, and I want to do what I can!” Kaede exclaimed desperately. 

“And if you’re going to keep bringing up Kaede’s murder plan, then I’d like to say something here,” Rantaro said. “Her victim was none other than me.” 

“You are admitting that very easily. Are you really not affected by being in such close proximity to your own killer?” Peko asked. 

Rantaro shrugged. “What Miu is not saying is that the situation was very complicated. Monokuma had instituted a time limit- if there were no murders in a set time, he would massacre every student.” 

“Ha ha ha ha. That is a very dark corner for Monokuma to paint you in,” Nagito said. Everyone else around him were various levels of horrified. 

“In a situation like this, Kaede choose to try and lure out the mastermind, and use their rules to kill them,” Rantaro continued. “I was unfortunate enough to get caught up in the whole mess, that’s all.” 

“So you’re saying that Akamatsu only killed you by accident? I do want to believe that,” Sayaka said in an uncertain tone. 

“...Why are you being so forgiving, Rantaro? I’m the reason you’re stuck in an awful situation like this again!” Kaede cried out. 

“Because in the end, there are aspects to that case that even you don’t know about,” Rantaro said mysteriously. “But I’m looking into them.” 

Miu shrank into herself as she realized that her plan to sow distrust against Kaede had failed. Sayaka approached Miu, with the inventor flinching. 

“...I know that you’re feeling scared, Iruma. I know, because I’ve felt the kind of fear that you have,” Sayaka said. “But closing yourself off will only hurt you in the long run.”

“Don’t talk like you know anything about me! I’m a gorgeous inventor that stands above everyone else!” Yet, Miu didn’t meet anyone else’s eyes. 

“Enough. It is clear that her nature cannot change,” Korekiyo said. “The true quandary before us: how do we prepare for the looming threat?”

“I think it would be best if we try to bond with each other. That will make it harder for Monokuma tear a rift between us,” Kaede suggested. “We may not be from the same classes, or even schools, but we can still find common ground with each other!”

“I like that idea. We can become friends with each other if we try,” Chiaki said, smiling. “So tomorrow at breakfast, let’s start over. Not as participants of a killing game, or people from different schools. But as a unified group.” 

Miu muttered something darkly under her breath, while Hifumi nervously said, “You really think it will be that easy? We still don’t know who else among us are killers.” 

“Don’t go needlessly sowing doubt between everyone!” Tenko yelled. “Just what will that accomplish?” 

“Actually, I agree with Yamada. We should learn who has killed before,” Nagito said, grinning madly. “How are you going to claim that you trust people if you’re afraid to learn about them?”

“Is that truly your intention? Or do you have another wicked scheme brewing in your head?” Gundham asked, glaring at Nagito. 

“I guess it’s only natural that you look down on trash like me,” Nagito said, unaffected by Gundham’s disdain. 

“Okay, that’s enough fighting! For now, it would probably be best if we rest up for the day,” Kaede said quickly. “Tomorrow, we’ll meet up at breakfast and decide the best course of action from there.” 

The group did scatter, although Kaede had no way of knowing to where. But before she left, Tenko turned to Kaede and said, “No matter what happens, I will always believe in you, Kaede! So don’t be afraid to lean on me!” 

“Thank you, Tenko. I’ll keep that in mind,” Kaede said, feeling warm from Tenko’s sincerity. 

Kaede did personally feel tired, so she left the casino. Outside, it was night- the stars were visible in the sky, if dim because of the bright lights shining on the buildings. 

After entering the dormitory, Kaede went straight to her room. Getting under the covers, Kaede stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. 

_ Junko Enoshima… I don’t feel like I have the right to judge you for your actions. You killed someone… but you also saved everyone. No matter your intentions, that’s something that shouldn’t be forgotten. _

_ Kaito Momota… you were willing to risk your life to rescue everyone from this killing game. Even if your plan didn’t work, you were still willing to try when no one else did. In your memory, I will keep everyone alive! _ _   
_

Eventually, Kaede’s eyelids grew heavy, and she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.   
****

**Monokuma Theater**

Hello, everyone! I hope that everyone feels refreshed with their fresh start. 

Of course, you could waste it with empty platitudes about self-improvement. But why not do as much evil as you can instead? 

When you have a blank slate, you can do anything you’ve been meaning to do! Steal what you’ve had your eye on! Take revenge on your enemies! 

Light something on fire! Make use of all the possibilities before you!

After all, it will all be wiped away once you reach the next fresh start!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poll for the Chapter 2 FTEs are still open! That's because next chapter, the FTEs will begin. So if there is someone you really want to win, take this chance to vote for them. Especially in light of the revelations planned next chapter. See you next time! Please review.


	18. Chapter 2, Daily Life III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Discordant Echoes! After introducing all locations last time, everyone is going to investigate more closely. As a side note: Three different characters tied for first on the FTEs poll. So I gave it to the first character to reach that point before the other two. Enjoy, my readers!

Kaede entered the dining hall to meet with the rest of the students. So far it looked like only Nagito, Peko, Miu, and Hifumi were in the dining hall, all seated at different tables. Most of them were eating food, but Peko had no meal.    


“Hello, Akamatsu!” Nagito said cheerfully. “With you here, that makes almost half of us.”   


Including herself, Kaede counted five people. Before she could question it, Tenko arrived from the kitchen area with a pair of bowls, her left hand bandaged. Arriving at the table Peko was sitting, Tenko put a bowl in front of the swordswoman, while putting the other bowl in front of herself.    


“What happened to your hand, Tenko?” Kaede asked, feeling that was the most pressing question.    


“This kitchen has the ingredients for a tripe hot pot, so I thought I’d make some for myself and Pekoyama!” Tenko answered. “But I don’t have much experience cutting meat, so I cut myself. But don’t worry, I made sure no blood got in the food!”    


“I know you’re basically a carpet muncher, but you are wasting too much time on that four-eyed sad sack,” Miu said, scoffing.    


“Everyone should eat! And if I can help in any way, I will!” Tenko declared, even in between bites of meat.    


Peko didn’t give any indication that she was paying attention to the conversation around her. She also didn’t eat the food in front of her, to Kaede’s concern.    


“And what of you, Miss Iruma? Would you be so cold as to leave someone to starve?” Hifumi asked, his tone dramatic. 

“I mean, why is it my responsibility to throw scraps at beggars?” Miu retorted aggressively. “My job is to make inventions that  will revolutionize the world!” 

Kaede seized the chance and said, “So, what inventions have been working on?”    


“Oh, only something amazing that will make you cream your pants!” Miu declared  with a smirk . “I’ll have you on your hands and knees for me again, Kaede!”    


“That is inappropriate behavior, Iruma!” Ishimaru shouted as he entered the dining hall, with Sayaka behind him. “Refrain from using such charged language!”    


“Fuck you! I won’t let you dictate how I talk!” Miu shouted.    


“...” Sayaka took this in with a blank expression. Then, she smiled. “At least you seem more like yourself, Iruma. That’s reassuring.”    


“Of course! It would be the end of everything if I stopped being my awesome self!” Yet even behind the bragging, Miu’s cheeks were pink.    


Nagito grinned mysteriously. “So that’s the kind of charm that the Ultimate Idol uses to sway her audience.”    


The other students joined the  group in the dining hall. Once again, Kaede wondered why it was set up as a restaurant, as the main difference seemed to be there being different small tables as opposed to one large table. 

“Now that everyone is present, I think we should jump right into it,” Nagito said. “If we’re going to form a unified hope, first we must face the hidden despairs among us!” 

“You mean your plan for us to confess if we’re a Blackened,” Rantaro said, looking over at Nagito. “And how do you plan to make sure you get a truthful answer?”    


“Oh, I’m not doing anything! After all, this is about everyone trusting each other!” Nagito exclaimed.    


“Why am I not surprised at how thoughtless you are.” Tenko said flatly, her face twisted in contempt.   


“That’s quite the expression you have there, Chabashira! Is that a skill you learned from being an Aikido Master?” Nagito asked. 

“Okay, if no one else is going to say it, I will.” Chiaki stood up, to get everyone’s attention. “I’m a Blackened. In fact, I killed Nagito.” 

“You are a killer? Ke he he he. You truly cannot judge a book by it’s cover,” Korekiyo said, amused.    


“To add to what Chiaki is saying, I set up a situation where she killed me, to accomplish something,” Nagito said coolly. “The fact that Chiaki is here means my luck failed. How unfortunate.”    


“What kind of plan requires you to get murdered by someone?” Sayaka asked, pale as a sheet. “And why are you talking so casually about it?”

“I used to believe that any murder couldn’t be justified. But when I consider the circumstances that led to me killing Nagito…” Chiaki pensively tugged on her hoodie. “More than ever, I want to make sure that no one becomes desperate enough to kill.” 

“It sounds like you are doing your best to find good in a most terrible situation, Nanami!” Tenko observed. 

“I wish I knew who killed me,” Ishimaru said, slumping his shoulders while Katio’s jacket hung limply on him. “But the days before my death  were a blur. Like my body just… moved on it’s own.”

“I wish I could help you, Taka, but I died so soon I can’t know what happened after,” Sayaka said. “Do you remember anything at all?”

“Just a sharp pain in the back of my head, like I was hit with something.” Ishimaru turned Hifumi. “You were still around at that time, Hifumi. Can you remember anything?”   


Hifumi’s eyes were darting about, and now he was sweating profusely. “I’m afraid I can’t help either. My mind is fuzzy because I got hit with a hammer too!” 

A frigid silence fell  upon  the dining hall, as everyone’s eyes snapped to Hifumi. Ishimaru’s expression slowly grew horrified.    


“Hifumi, how did you know that Taka was hit with a hammer?” Kaede asked. “He didn’t specify.” 

“W-well, during the killing game my class was in, a maniac was running around hitting people with hammers! Including me!” Hifumi exclaimed, his voice trembling. “And well, Mister Ishimaru answered a suspicious summons-”    


“Wait, I never told anyone about that!” Ishimaru shouted. “There’s no way you could know that, Hifumi!”    


“You mean, no way unless he was your killer,” Nagito said. “And what a despair that would be, to realize you’ve been talking to your own killer without even knowing it. Well, Yamada? Do you have anything to say?” 

“Heeeee! Please spare meeee!” Hifumi shrieked, putting his hands in front of him in prayer. “I was tricked into doing it!”    


“So after being so scared about being around killers, you turned out to be one?! Does your degenerate hypocrisy know no bounds?” Tenko yelled, raising her palms threateningly.    


“Stop, Chabashira!” Chiaki exclaimed suddenly. “In circumstances like this, no one has the right to judge anyone for what they’ve done. Only Ishimaru has a right to talk with Yamada about this.” 

Begrudgingly, Tenko backed down, instead looking over at Ishimaru. Even as he still looked despondent, he approached Hifumi.    


“I still don’t understand why you did this, Hifumi. Even if we had our disagreements, I thought we were classmates,” Ishimaru said, his eyes brimming with tears. “Can I trust you this time?”    


“You totally can, Mister Ishimaru! You have my word that I will be on my best behavior from now on!” Hifumi deciared, even as he was still sweating.    


“I want to believe you. For the sake of making sure that everyone can get out of here alive…” Ishimaru raised his left hand.    


Tentatively, Hifumi shook his hand. 

“See, that’s much better. We can’t let ourselves get turned against each other,” Chiaki said, a relieved smile on her face.    


“And thank you, Miss Nanami! You’re like an angel of mercy that came to save me!” Hifumi said, bowing his head at Chiaki’s direction.    


At this point Kaede decided to speak up. “We can keep talking with each other, but first can we figure out what to do? We can’t sit in the dining hall all day.” 

“Escape is plainly impossible- even if we found a way past the walls, all that’s waiting beyond that is a painful drop,” Tsumugi pointed out.    


“We can’t think like that! We had to have been brought to the peak of the mountain somehow,” Kaede countered. “If we investigate enough, we might find answers!” 

“And if we want to bond more, we should visit different places together,” Chiaki added. “New experiences should encourage new bonds… I think.” 

“Which is a long winded way of saying that the breakfast meeting is dismissed,” Rantaro said, before getting up and leaving the dining hall.    


Everyone else followed, so Kaede felt it was best if she were on her way as well. Before she did, she took one last look behind her, and noticed the still untouched bowl of tripe hot pot where Peko had been sitting. 

* * *

Kaede didn’t have a particular destination in mind, so she headed to the first place she saw- the massage parlor. She didn’t expect anyone to be inside, and was surprised to see Ryoma.    


“What are you doing here?” Kaede asked.    


“Felt like this would be the best place to be alone,” Ryoma answered. “But if you want to stay here, I won’t mind.” 

Kaede decided to do just that, and for a while the two sat in silence.    


Eventually, Kaede decided to break the silence. “There’s something I want to say, Ryoma. I’m sorry about how I treated you before.”    


“And why are apologizing to a guy like me?” Ryoma asked, looking up at Kaede.    


“Because I wrote you off as this edgelord that was trying to look cool,” Kaede admitted shamefully. “But after killing Rantaro… I feel like an idiot for judging you so harshly.”   


Ryoma pulled his hat over his eyes. “...Don’t beat yourself up, Kaede. You acted out of a genuine desire to protect everyone. What I did… I did out of selfishness.”    


“If you don’t mind telling me, what did you do?” Kaede asked.    


“I was stupid, and angered the wrong people. They killed someone I cared about,” Ryoma said, his tone devoid of any emotion. “The man formerly known as Ryoma Hoshi went on a rampage, and killed everyone even remotely associated with her death. What you see before you… is the shell of that man after.” 

“I still think that you shouldn’t talk down to yourself like that!” Kaede said firmly. “I mean, we got a second chance at life! We shouldn’t take it for granted.”    


“Hmph. I don’t know why I was brought back to life. Perhaps a cruel whim of fate to punish me,” Ryoma said.    


_ Geez, you really don’t need to keep talking like that!  _

Yet, it also seemed like the conversation  had  stalled, so Kaede decided to think of a different approach. “Ryoma, follow me outside.”    


Ryoma raised an eyebrow at this, but also listened and left the massage parlor with Kaede. It was her hope that fresh air would help.   


Once they were outside, Kaede said, “In our previous killing game, you told me that you gave up tennis. Did you mean that?”   


“I do. I don’t deserve to return to tennis after using it to take so many lives,” Ryoma said. 

“Then don’t return to tennis. But you need to start living your life again,” Kaede said. “You can’t continue on as an ‘empty shell’!”    


“What do you suggest is left to me, then?” Ryoma asked, glowering at Kaede. “The only place left to me is the inside of a prison cell.”    


“You went to jail?!” On reflection, it did make sense given Ryoma’s previous actions. And yet… “Considering we have no idea where this island is, it’s possible we’re nowhere near your jail! So you don’t have to go back there.” 

In response to that, Ryoma started chuckling. “You just suggested for a mass murderer like me to go free. You sure are a strange one, Kaede.”    


_ ...I guess it sounds bad when you put it like that.  _

Any further discussion was interrupted by Sayaka approached them. “Hey, Kaede! Can you come with me to the casino?”

“I suppose I can, but why do you want me to go there?” Kaede asked.

“Iruma is finally ready to show off her new invention, and it’s related to something about the casino,” Sayaka said. “We all have to go there anyways, so I figured we could go there together.”   


“Then sure, I don’t see a problem! It might be best for all of us to see it, so follow us, Ryoma.” With that, the three of them headed to the casino. 

* * *

“About time you lame asses showed up,” Miu said as soon as Kaede and the other two showed up. “It’s time I finally blind you all with my genius.”    


Kaede’s Monopad beeped, and when she looked at it the screen read “x100 Mono Credits”.   


“To answer your question, Kaede, everyone got those as soon as we entered the casino,” Rantaro said, noticing her curious expression. “I believe there are meant to be used on the games in here.”    


“Which is where my invention comes in!” Miu lifted her Monopad in front of everyone. “The rules only say you can’t damage your Monopads. So I tinkered with mine a bit, and now it can do this!” 

Miu walked over to what appeared to be a slot machine. She raised her Monopad at the screen. The lever moved on it’s own, and the slot machine’s screen changed, displaying triple sevens. Miu turned her Monopad towards everyone, which now read “x300 Mono Credits”.   


“Booyah! Just like that, this whole place is now my playground,” Miu bragged. “Well, Kaede? Are in awe of my brilliance?” 

“I don’t get you, Miu. Yesterday, you were trying to rally everyone against me. Today, you’re showing off for me. What gives?” Kaede asked, genuinely wondering what was going through Miu’s head.    


“I’m proving how much better I am than you, of course!” Miu declared. “A flat-titted bitch like can’t compare to a bombshell like me!”   


Kaede was about to yell something in retort, but Sayaka walked forward. “Iruma, I know you want to impress everyone with your inventions. But why don’t you let your inventions speak for themselves? They’re certainly amazing.”   


“You’re right, my inventions are amazing, Maizono,” Miu said, looking over at Sayaka. “What’s your fucking point?” 

“Your inventions can be used to-”    


“Flagrantly disregard the rules, for one!” Monokuma shouted as he appeared in between everyone.    


“Wh-what rules? I don’t remember breaking any rules!” Miu shouted defiantly.    


“Oh, that was certainly a clever loophole you exploited,” Monokuma said, his words belied by the fury in his voice. “I suppose I can’t do anything about the Mono Credits you already got. But I’ll put a stop to it now!”    


Everyone’s Monopads beeped. Looking at hers, Kaede saw the following:    
****

**Temporary Rule #2: Cheating at Kismet Casino is now illegal and punishable by death. **

“Oh, fuck you! Just for that, I’ll use what I do have to clean out your stupid casino!” Miu headed in the direction of the nearest slot machine. 

Kaede sighed, and decided to talk with Miu more later. She had to admit, she was curious about the purpose of the virtual currency she now had. So the best thing to do was try out on a few games. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What does everyone make of the how the students are approaching the situation? The casino will be seen in depth next chapter. Do the readers want to continue the FTEs with Ryoma, or switch to someone else? Please share your thoughts. See you next time! Please review.


	19. Chapter 2, Daily Life IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There might be people that have been wondering why I haven't mentioned Gundham's hamsters, the Dark Devas of Destruction. That question and more are answered in today's chapter! Enjoy, my readers!

The first thing that Kaede’s eyes fell on in the casino was the prize counter. In fact, she had to do a double take, because at first she couldn’t believe that one of the prizes being offered was an actual, live bird, currently shuffling around it’s cage.    


“This creature is not what it seems,” Gundham said, also looking at the bird. “The avian guise obscures a truly fierce warrior. My Four Dark Devas did not arrive at this world with me. Perhaps this is meant to be my new companion.”    


“Oh! Are you going to train this bird in the dark arts? Maybe make him do your bidding?” Tsumugi asked excitedly.    


“Mr. Tanaka does not think in such simple terms,” Hifumi said., adjusting his glasses. “His Dark Eye goes beyond the third dimension that we humans see.”    


Gundham smirked. “My two disciples of the damned. Patience, for surely the answer will reveal itself in due time.” 

“Getting the bird certainly isn’t going to be easy,” Kaede pointed out, observing a tag attached to the cage. “You need a full ten-thousand credits.”    


“Fuahahahahaha! Numbers such as those are meaningless!” Gundham said, laughing maniacally. “All that matters is that I will fulfill my destiny!”    


“Okay, if you want to have the bird that badly, I’m sure you can get what you need,” Kaede said cheerfully. She was happy that Tsumugi had made friends, even if Gundham and Hifumi were rather strange people.    


Gambling wasn’t really something that Kaede liked to do, so she decided her first destination would be the entertainment hall. She wanted to try to play the piano again.    


Inside the hall were none other than Sayaka and Tenko. “Kaede! Maizono told me that she wants to practice her singing and would let me watch!” Tenko exclaimed. “It’s like a dream come true for me! I’ve always wanted to watch an idol up close!”    


Sayaka giggled. “Your enthusiasm is really cute, Chabashira. But really, right now we’re just classmates.” 

“I’m not cute! I’m far too sweaty right now!” Tenko exclaimed, bright pink.   


“You know, I’d like to see you singing too,” Kaede said, taking a seat near the stage where Sayaka currently was standing. “It would be a nice way to pass the time.” 

Adjusting the microphone in front of her face, Sayaka cleared her throat. Then in a soft, melodious voice, she sang. “The sun shines down on a lonely bloom…”

* * *

“Wow, that was amazing!” Tenko exclaimed as soon Sayaka finished singing. “I could really feel the bittersweet emotions you wanted to convey!”   


“I really got a good sense of the melody and the rhythm of the song!” Kaede added.    


“Thanks. It’s been a long time since I’ve sang, so I’m happy I’m still good at it,” Sayaka said, smiling.    


As much as Kaede wanted to keep talking about music, she did have something else in mind. “What were you going to say to Miu before?”   


“Just that she could make her inventions to make people happy. I thought it would be the best way to convince her,” Sayaka said.    


“You seem to be determined to reach out to Miu.” Tenko observed.    


“I suppose the real reason is that I see myself in Miu. I’ve felt what she has- so scared, and alone,” Sayaka said, clutching her hand to her chest. “So I want to help her feel less scared and alone, even if only a little.”   


Tenko’s expression became serious. “You’re incredibly kind for looking after Miu. But who is looking after you, Maizono?”    


_ Tenko’s right! Maizono really does seem to be taking on everything by herself.  _

“You’re secretly very reliable, Chabashira,” Sayaka said, even as she put up a fake smile.    


Which Tenko didn’t fail to notice. “If you ever need anyone to listen to you, Maizono, I’ll always make time for you!” 

“I think I want to see what everyone else is up to. Let’s return to the first floor.” Sayaka left the entertainment hall, leaving Tenko and Kaede to follow after her.    


Returning to the first floor, the trio headed towards the area with the various gambling games. They ended up in front of the giant gacha machine that Tsumugi mentioned before. Nagito, Ryoma, and Chiaki were already there.    


“Woah. Why is this machine so tall,” Kaede said, craning her neck to see the entire machine. Inside, she could see capsules with different colored lids. “It’s the only one like this.”    


“Hard to say. I suppose the only way to find out is to use it,” Chiaki said. She pointed to a plaque at the bottom of the machine. “According to this, we use our Monopads to send the credits to the machine wirelessly. It’s about ten per play...”    


Chiaki fiddled with the screen of her Monopad, and handle of the gacha machine turned on it’s own. From an opening at the bottom, a large red capsule rolled out.    


“I think the capsule is almost as big as you are...” Kaede noted dryly. 

Undeterred, Chiaki managed to open the capsule. When she looked inside, she gasped. “This is the latest Funplane! It even comes with a game and a small television!”    


“I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you so animated, Chiaki,” Nagito said. “Maybe we should all try this machine.” 

“I’m still not comfortable gambling.” Tenko said, shaking her head. 

“I think I’d rather save my credits for something else.” Sayaka added.

Of the three left, Kaede and Ryoma also got red capsules, while Nagito got a blue one. Kaede’s prize turned out to be a collection of music sheets, while Nagito got a cat-shaped pillow.    


“It looks like I got a common prize. What bad luck.” Nagito said, sighing. 

Being so short, it was an effort for Ryoma to open his capsule. Inside was a tennis racket, which immediately caused his face to darken. “Here. I’d like to trade,” Ryoma said, offering the racket to Nagito.    


“A racket from the Ultimate Tennis Pro? What a gift!” Nagito exclaimed. He handed Ryoma his pillow. “It’s not much, but you can have this.”   


Ryoma took the pillow, and his expression did visibly soften again.    


_ I guess that worked out for everyone.  _ Kaede observed, amused. 

“I’d like to see who else is in here!” Tenko walked off on her own, with Kaede running after her.    


Seated around a card table was an unusual group: Rantaro, Ishimaru, Peko, and Korekiyo, the former two in the middle of a game.    


“Ishimaru! I thought you were better than this!” Tenko chided. “Did you succumb to some sort of degenerate male instinct?”    


“Don’t worry, Chabashira. This is nothing more than a friendly game, with no betting involved,” Rantaro said, not even taking his eyes off his cards. 

“As Amami put it, this is another way for us to get to know each other!” Ishimaru said, intensely focused.    


“If you want to do it, I guess I can’t stop you,” Tenko said, still looking displeased. The she turned to Peko. “Want to go find somewhere else to be that’s not the casino?” 

“...Perhaps. If only because I feel like this is all distracting us from something,” Peko said quietly.    


Without another word, Peko stood up, and accompanied Tenko away from the gambling games. Kaede didn’t feel like playing either, but she did watch the game between Rantaro and Ishimaru.    


“Kaede. Do you have a moment to spare?” Korekiyo asked.    


“Sure! Did you want to talk about something?” Kaede answered curiously.    


“It’s about our location. Monokuma calls it ‘Kismet Island’. Kismet is a Sanskrit word meaning fate, or destiny,” Korekiyo explained. “Given the theme of life and death we’ve seen so far, I wonder about the significance of this island’s name.”

Kaede thought back to the blue flame motif present in the cameras, even the ones in this casino. “I guess it’s connected to how we’ve been brought back from the dead. Maybe this mountain is special.”   


“That’s a  likely  theory. Mountains are often ascribed as holy place s ,” Korekiyo said thoughtfully. “Likely because of their solitary image, which is associated with purity-”

The rest of his lecture was cut off by the sound of cackling laughter, which Kaede recognized as Gundham’s. She went over to investigate, and saw him standing over a capsule with a shining gold lid. 

“Truly, the gods bow to my every whim!” Gundham crowed proudly. “For I now have the ticket to my new servant!” 

In Gundham’s hand was a comically large ticket, which read “This voucher is worth 10,000 Mono Credits”. 

“That must be the rarest kind of prize you can get!” Kaede exclaimed. For a moment, she almost believed some kind of god was watching over him.    


Gundham went over to the prize counter, which was still unmanned. But as he approached, Monokuma appeared, standing on a small ladder.    


“You’re the first person to redeem their credits for a prize!” Monokuma said. “What do you want?”    


Handing over the voucher, Gundham pointed at the bird. “This creature is mine now.”    


“You’re blowing your credits all at once! That seems almost obscene!” Monokuma exclaimed. Stepping down from the ladder, he adjusted it to be able to reach the bird cage, before opening it. The bird flew over to Gundham, resting on his shoulder.    


“From here on forth, your title shall now be… Ent-B!” Gundham said, his tone solemn as this were a grand ceremony.    


_ Come to think of it, Gundham is the Ultimate Breeder. Though, it’s hard to remember that with how he acts. _

“Is that a finch?” Peko’s quiet voice barely reached Kaede’s ears as she joined the group, Tenko behind her. “May I… touch it?”    


Gundham crossed his arms. “That is not up to me. Ent-B must decide to grace you with his presence.”    


Peko tentatively reached out towards the light-brown bird, but as soon as she got close, the bird screeched furiously. Peko drew her hand back as if burned, then slowly lowered it, her shoulders slumping as well. 

“That bird. It must have come from somewhere on this island, right?” Tenko said suddenly. “I’m going to find another one right now!”    


Peko turned her head towards Tenko. “Chabashira, wait. You don’t have to- 

Tenko was already rushing out the exit of the casino, shoving the doors out of her way.    


“...Why are you doing all this?” Peko asked, looking at where Tenko had left.    


“I’m pretty sure it’s Tenko being Tenko,” Kaede said. “She wears her heart on her sleeve pretty much all the time.”    


“Still, maybe one of us should go check on her, to make sure she doesn’t accidently get in over her head,” Sayaka suggested.    


“I’ll do it, then.” Kaede left the casino as well, scouring the area to see if there was a tree, or somewhere else a bird could be. Near the dormitory, Kaede found Tenko, and to her alarm saw the aikido master was now crying. “Is something wrong?”    


“No, I’m not crying,” Tenko said, wiping the tears from her face. “These are Pekoyama’s tears.”    


“Wait, huh?” Kaede could not imagine Peko crying for any reason. 

“When she was rejected by the bird, Pekoyama became filled with such deep sorrow that I couldn’t stand by and do nothing,” Tenko exclaimed. “So I’m going to find a bird for her!” 

Kaede hadn’t gotten that sense from Peko, but decided not to probe into it any further. Something else had accorded to her. “You know, you’re shouldering way too much, Tenko. I know you’re strong, but even you have limits.” 

“Maybe I am pushing myself too hard,” Tenko admitted. “But I want to be able to do what I can, you know? If I see someone in trouble, I want to do something to help them!”

“I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. But so that you don’t become too burdened, I’ll help out as well!” 

*ding dong, bing bong* 

Almost as if mocking Kaede’s declaration, the bell rang out across the area. Monokuma’s voice followed: “Everyone, please gather at the Kismet Casino prize counter. I have a special announcement to make!” 

“There, of all places?” The casino was a short walk from the dormitory, so it didn’t take long for Kaede and Tenko to return inside. At the prize counter, everyone else was already there.    


“Thank you for coming. As promised, it is now time for me to reveal the grand prize of this killing game,” Monokuma said, still standing behind the counter. “The prize that will be awarded to a successful Blackened if they get away with their crime at any point of our little get together!”    


“A motive that could apply to anyone… and remain compelling no matter how much time passes,” Korekiyo said. “I wonder if it’s possible to mentally fortify yourself against it.” 

“Oh, that won’t do at all! So before anyone can prepare themselves, I’m going to come out and just say it! The grand prize is… the exclusive right to reunite with the most important person in their life!”    


Everyone’s Monopads beeped, but the sound went almost unnoticed. Everyone was too busy processing Monokuma’s words. 

Even so, Chiaki was looking at the screen of her own. “The fifth rule has changed, to reflect what Monokuma just said.” 

“And no, I am not about to hand out videos, or print out threatening letters,” Monokuma said. “Everyone should know who their most important person is. If you want to tell someone else is entirely up to you!” 

“Then that means that officially, the purpose of this killing game isn’t to escape. It’s to reunite with someone special to you…” For the first time, a shadow crossed Rantaro’s face. “What cruelty.” 

“I know this could be considered a classic motive in a murder game. But I thought I’d put a fresh twist onto it,” Monokuma said, rubbing the back of his head in faux humility. “A twist fitting this special occasion.”    


“Again… this is happening again.” Sayaka muttered, hugging herself. Then suddenly, she screamed, “Are you holding them hostage? Did you do something do them?!”    


“Don’t put words in my mouth!” Monokuma shouted back. “I didn’t say anything like that!”    


“So you aren’t holding anyone hostage?” Kaede asked. She felt that confirming this for sure would be crucial.   


“Let me make this perfectly clear: A Blackened that kills someone and gets away with it in a class trial earns the exclusive right to reunite with the most important person in their life.” Monokuma said. “Nothing more, nothing less. And I won’t be answering any more redundant questions about it!” 

“But you can still hand out additional motives along with this grand prize. That’s how it’s been before,” Chiaki pointed out.    


“If you already know it, what do you need me for? I’ve informed you students of the grand prize. What you do with this information is entirely up to you…”    


Monokuma vanished, leaving everyone crowded around the now empty prize counter. Ishimaru immediately rushed to Sayaka.   


“Are you okay? I know it must have been hard for you to hear that.” Ishimaru said.

“To hear that motive all over again… it’s hit me as hard as it did the first time,” Sayaka said, still shaking. 

“If it helps, I don’t think that Monokuma is holding anyone hostage!” Tenko declared. “If he was, he would have said so when Kaede asked about it!”    


“I get your logic, Chabashira. If Monokuma were threatening anyone, he would have stated it outright, to spread despair among everyone,” Nagito said. “Yet, even if you’re right, this is still a powerful motive.” 

“A person can know, logically, that someone they care about is perfectly safe. But in a situation like this, where we are trapped in a remote location with no way of reaching the outside world, our worst fears can prey upon us,” Korekiyo said thoughtfully. “Emotions can usually override even the most rock-solid fact.” 

“I get that! But we still can’t let Monokuma manipulate us into doing what he wants!” Kaede exclaimed.    


“Then will you tell everyone, right here and now, who your most important person is?” Rantaro asked, an unusually critical expression on his face.    


“Who it is?” Kaede carefully considered the question.  _ I have people I care about, of course. My parents, and my sister. I have friends, like Shuichi, Maki, Tenko… Kaito. But someone that’s more important to me than anyone else?  _

While Kaede was lost in thought, Ryoma scoffed. “Hmph. This was supposed to be a motive that applied to everyone. But I have no one in my life. I was told this before.” 

“There’s no one that’s more important in the world to me than yours truly!” Miu declared arrogantly. “So I’m looking out for myself!” 

In the midst of all this chatting, Peko approached Gundham and Chiaki, a desperate look on her face. “Young Master… do you know where Young Master is?”    


Chiaki opened her mouth to answer, but Gundham beat her to it, saying, “We do not know.” 

Chiaki narrowed her eyes at Gundham, but Peko didn’t notice this. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“That myself, Chiaki, and Nagito are here means that we all perished throughout the course of our killing game!” Gundham pointed out. “All that we can say for sure is that he is not here.”    


“I see… so he is likely still alive, at least.” Peko said quietly. “I suppose it would be selfish of me to ask anything else.”    


Peko left the casino entirely, but right after Chiaki said to Gundham, “I assume you have your reasons for saying what you did. But we are talking about this later.”    


“Everyone! I’d like your attention!” Ishimaru called out, indeed drawing everyone’s attention. “Do we have a plan now that Monokuma has unveiled his own scheme?”    


“This is just like the conversation about who among us was a Blackened. To talk about something so personal seems like too much to ask of someone.” Hifumi said nervously.    


“And you never know when someone might use personal information against you,” Tsumigi added, sweating. “Just like how Junko used Kaito’s trust against him.”    


“Okay, everyone slow down. It’s clear that we have a lot on our minds,” Rantaro said calmly. “Why don’t we sleep on this? I’m sure tomorrow we’ll be able to talk this out more rationally.”   


“Everyone, let’s meet up for breakfast tomorrow,” Kaede said. “I think up until now, we’ve been able to get along as friends. So I believe we can take this on together!”    


“So you’re betting your hope against the despair of the grand prize,” Nagito said, grinning mysteriously at Kaede. “I look forward to seeing what you do next, Akamatsu.”    


_ Katio might have known what to say much better than I could. But Kaito isn’t here anymore. So in his memory, I’m going to beat this motive, and the Killing Game as a whole!  _

**Monokuma Theater **

Did you ever wonder how something becomes a cliche? Maybe the latest generation will roll their eyes at the classics. 

But they just don’t appreciate the great legends! Like Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allan Poe, or Agatha Christie! 

I see so many ingrates complaining about how cliche mystery stories are these days! It’s hard to come up with something fresh in this beloved genre.    


But if you want something new so badly, I’ll see what I can come up with. But no crying later! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a note: The finch, now named "Ent-B", follows Gundham's naming convention. Ent-B is short for "Enterbrain", the Japanese manga publisher of DR2 manga. Now that the grand prize of the Grand Killing Game has been unveiled, what effect will it have on everyone? I look forward to the theories of my readers. See you next time! Please review.


	20. Chapter 2, Daily Life V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With so many mysteries at hand, some take priority over others. So watch the characters and their different priorities clash as they choose a mystery they want to focus on. Enjoy, my readers!

_ “Hey, Grand tits! What’s up?”  _ _   
_

_ “That pun wasn’t clever the first time, and it’s not clever right now.” _ _   
_

_ “You’ll stop talking to me like that when you’ve seen what I’ve got!”  _ _   
_

_ “That looks like a piece of paper.”  _ _   
_

_ “It’s not just any piece of paper. Take a closer look at it…” _

* * *

Kaede opened her eyes, shaking off the last vestiges of her dream. Something about the dream felt familiar, especially the voice of the other person in the dream. But her mind couldn’t grasp onto any detail, the ephemeral vision leaving a slippery feeling behind. 

_ Everything is confusing enough without getting  _ _ worked up  _ _ about dreams.  _

When she walked into the dining hall, she immediately knew it was going to get worse, because Nagito was standing up and talking to the rest of the room.    


“Hey, Akamatsu. Good thing you showed up, because right now I’m talking about you and your classmates,” Nagito said. “I’ll cut to the chase: Where did you come from?” 

“That’s a strange thing to ask. What are you talking about?” Kaede asked. 

“Maizono’s group are Hope’s Peak Academy students, as are myself, and my classmates. But while you and your friends are Ultimates, you haven’t said if you are from Hope’s Peak too,” Nagito said. “Well, are you?”    


“No, we aren’t Hope’s Peak students. Honestly, I hadn’t heard of that school before,” Kaede said honestly. “The school we go to is the Ultimate Academy.”    


“Interesting. Very interesting,” Nagito said, a dark tone in his voice. “Your group is the biggest anomaly here. Amami claims not to remember his talent. You claim to be from a made up school.”    


“It’s not made up! It’s-!” Kaede stopped when she realized that the Ultimate Academy was just an empty school she was trapped in with her friends.    


“Why are you doing this?” Tenko asked furiously. “Are you actually trying to accomplish anything, or are you being a nosy, rude degenerate for no reason?” 

“Ha ha ha, don’t get too angry, Chabashira,” Nagito said, holding up his hands. “You have to admit that the circumstances surrounding your group are suspicious.” 

“Perhaps you’re right. If you want to investigate us, I certainly won’t stop you,” Rantaro said. “But wait until after we escape this killing game.”    


“What are we going to do? Monokuma gave out the motive, and we’re still no closer to finding a way out of here,” Tsumugi said dejectedly. “It’s hard not to give up.”    


“I think first, we need to focus on making sure this motive doesn’t cause a murder,” Sayaka said. “Yesterday, I ended up… losing control of myself. I don’t want that to happen again.”    


“If we want to talk about our ‘most important person’, we can,” Kaede said. “But if you don’t want to, no one should force you to do it.”    


“But no one questioned Junko about her talent, and we saw how that ended.” Peko said quietly. Kaede found herself surprised by two things- that Peko talked at all, and that she was eating a bowl of tripe hot pot. 

“If you’re going to bring that up again, why don’t you tell us who your most important person is?!” Kaede shot back. When Peko looked away, Kaede felt bad and said, “Look, like I said, I’m not going to force anyone to talk about something personal. I don’t want to let the game control us.”    


“Okay, then let’s put it up to a vote! If anyone wants to talk about their most important person, raise their hand!” Ishimaru yelled to the room at large.    


No one raised their hands, though Kaede could see that several people were considering the idea. Ishimaru said, “If no one wants to talk about it, then that’s the end of it!”    


“But you can always change your mind later!” Tenko added. “If nothing else,  try to spend time with someone today . Having a friend can help you out through rough times!” 

“So that’s it, then? You’re all going to waste an entire day doing nothing?” Miu asked, her face filled with disgust. “I’m going to try to get out of this shitty place, even if no one else is going to bother!”    


“I don’t believe anyone was trying to stop you, Iruma,” Chiaki said. Then, she smiled. “In fact, I think everyone would appreciate it if you did find a clue.” 

Miu’s mood instantly shifted into surprised embarrassment. “H-hey! Don’t try to charm me into doing all the work!” 

The breakfast meeting ended shortly after that, but Kaede felt relieved this had gone better than previous meetings between everyone. 

Then out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Chiaki and Gundham heading to the kitchen area of the restaurant, with Nagito following behind them. Kaede decided to follow the group as well.    


The kitchen area had a refrigerator area, another section with fruits and vegetables, and the stovetop area where everyone made their food. It was decorated in the same gaudy manner as everywhere else. Ent-B fluttered off Gundham’s shoulder and pecked at a nearby apple. 

“Hello, Akamatsu,” Nagito said as soon as he saw Kaede. “I see you are also interested in participating in the conversation about Peko.” 

“Maybe I don’t belong in this conversation, but all of us are in the same situation, right? So I want to at least listen,” Kaede said. “I want to know more about everyone.” 

“I think it’s good of you to take an interest, Akamatsu.” Chaki turned to Gundham. “Gundham, why did you stop me from telling Peko about what happened to Fuyuhiko?” 

Gundham crossed his arms. “You remember the Funhouse, Chiaki. All of us were trapped with no food or water, and no way out. In the end, I soaked myself in blood to pay for everyone’s passage outside. Yet, everyone was still weak and starving.” 

“Oh, I think I see what you’re saying. You didn’t want to say anything for sure because you had no way of knowing if Fuyuhiko was truly still alive.” At this point, a frustrated expression crossed Chiaki’s face. “I can’t say for sure if everyone else made it out safely either.”    


“And you don’t want to tell Peko anything that might motivate her to murder,” Nagito said with his usual dissonant cheerfulness. “You would deprive her of hope for the sake of a greater hope!”    


Immediately, Gundham glared at Nagito, and Chiaki looked down at her shoes. Kaede said, “Okay, I feel like there’s something I’m missing here.” 

“To put it simply, Peko’s most important person is also her sole hope,” Nagito said. “You’ve seen the shell she’s become without that hope. But Gundham and Chiaki seem to be afraid that if there’s a chance she’d be able to see him again, it would drive Peko to murder.”    


Kaede felt herself go cold as those words. “But, you should be able to trust your own classmate, and tell them anything, right?”    


“Life is not in such simple shades of black and white! You of all people should know better- you engaged in deceit to avert a massacre!” Gundham countered. “Sometimes you must paint your soul in black!”    


She had no rebuttal to that. Kaede would never regret lying to catch Junko, but she also understood it had been a morally wrong act. So she didn’t feel it was right to lie to Peko, even by omission. Yet, she didn’t know enough about Peko and her classmates to say what would be the right thing to do. 

“It’s okay to feel doubt, Akamatsu. Doubting someone means you want to learn about the real kind of person they are,” Chiaki said. “I have my doubts about Peko. I voted for her as a Blackened. But a part of me also wants to believe that this time, things will be different.” 

“Wanting to learn about how a person really is…” Kaede remembered the brief period she spent with Shuichi. How she’d wanted him to see the potential that she saw in him. “Then even if I doubt Pekoyama, I’ll at least trust you and Tanaka.”    


“Will the hope that everyone shares here be enough to ignite even the smallest spark inside of Peko?” Nagito wondered out loud. “Because I will lay down my life for even the dimmest, smallest spark of hope.” 

“We’re trying to avoid anyone dying here!” Kaede exclaimed. Then she considered something. “So where does Tenko fit into all of this? She’s spent a lot of time with Pekoyama so far.”    


“I do not understand what motivates Chabashira. She is a human facing a bear completely unarmed,” Gundham said, Ent-B cocking its head as if it were also confused. “Yet she shows no trace of fear.”    


“When it comes to girls, Tenko isn’t capable of holding a bad thought,” Kaede said, smiling wryly. “For better or worse.” 

“I think that’s enough of cooping ourselves up in this kitchen,” Chiaki said. “Let’s follow Chabashira’s idea, and go spend time with our friends.”

* * *

From there, everyone went their separate ways. What immediately caught Kaede’s eye was Ryoma still seated at a table.    


“Hey there. Are you here to brood?” Kaede said, her tone light and joking.    


“Perhaps. Are you here to join me?” Ryoma answered. Kaede sat herself across from Ryoma. 

“I did want to continue our conversation from last time. You said that you see yourself as a mass murderer,” Kaede said. “But you’re clearly remorseful about what you did. I don’t imagine you’re ever going to kill again.” 

Ryoma didn’t have a comment, but he seemed to be listening. 

“So instead of punishing yourself, why don’t you start over,” Kaede continued. “Find something to be passionate about again!”    


“...I suppose I did own a cat once. I don’t imagine that cat even remembers who I am,” Ryoma said. “But I wouldn’t mind owning one again.”    


“That’s one way to think of it! You can take care of a cat. I get that maybe you don’t want to be around people anymore,” Kaede said. “But you still deserve some company.”   


“To be completely honest, I expected to be alone for the rest of my life. For the first time, I’m considering the idea that I don’t have to be alone,” Ryoma said. He stuck a candy cigarette in his mouth. “Still, can you do me a favor, Kaede?”    


“Sure, I don’t see why not,” Kaede said, curious as to what Ryoma could want.    


“First, follow me to the casino.”    


The conversation was briefly suspended, so they could head to where Ryoma wanted. Inside the casino, they headed to an open space away from all the gambling games.    


“There is one last thing I need to do. If this empty shell is ever going to become anything else, I need to know.” From his jacket, Ryoma took out a pair of tennis rackets, along with a tennis ball.    


“You told me earlier that you gave up tennis,” Kaede pointed out. “Did you change your mind?”    


“Just once. I want you to play with me for a short while,” Ryoma said, handing one to Kaede, along with the ball. They walked a short distance from each other, then faced each other.    


“Your serve.” Ryoma said simply. Kaede threw the ball up, then lightly smacked the ball towards Ryoma. He hit the ball back with ease, and Kaede used her racket to return the serve.    


They continued the casual game, until Ryoma suddenly set aside the racket, and caught the ball with his hand. “There. I’m satisfied.” 

“Why did you want to do this, Ryoma?” Kaede asked.    


“For one, I noticed that you did not flinch at all when I took out the tennis racket, even knowing I killed people using it,” Ryoma said, putting his hands in his pockets. “And… I was able to have a final game. I think with that, I will be able to leave tennis for good.”    


“Well, I’m glad I was able to help you come to a decision,” Kaede said, smiling. “Even if you aren’t the Ultimate Tennis Pro anymore, you’re still my friend.”    


“I suppose there’s still a little more I have to figure out. But I need some time to think about it,” Ryoma said. “If you still want to lend an ear to me, I’ll let you know.”

* * *

From there, Kaede got the sense that Ryoma wanted to be left alone. So next, she decided to return to the place she visited the most- the entertainment hall.    


For the first time, the theater screen at the far left was being used. Chiaki was busy hooking up her Funplane to the screen, then took out a pair of wireless controllers, keeping one for herself and giving the other to Miu.   


“I thought you were looking for a way out, Miu?” Kaede asked curiously. “I didn’t expect to find you here playing a game.”    


“I already made an invention that should totally blow everyone’s minds! I even used my casino credits to buy raw materials for more inventions,” Miu said. “So I’m taking a breather. Are you going to nag me about it, flat tits?!”

“No, I’m not!” Kaede sat in a theater seat, watching whatever Miu and Chiaki were doing. “I’d be happy to play a game later, if you’ll have me!”    


The game that came Chiaki’s system turned out to be a kart racer, so they picked their characters, and began a race. True to her talent as Ultimate Gamer, Chiaki took an immediate lead, her fingers deftly using the game controller.    


But Miu refused to go down without a fight, her own character doggedly chasing behind Chiaki. Though Kaede noticed that Miu’s inputs didn’t entirely match the movements of her character.    


“For someone so slow and sleepy, you’re better at this than as I thought!” Miu exclaimed, sweating from the effort.    


Chiaki didn’t respond, entirely focused on the game. Not long after, the race ended, with Chiaki coming in first and Miu coming in second, albeit by a hair.    


“You got lucky! This golden girl genius is going to win next time!” Miu pressed the buttons on her controller impatiently- and nothing happened. “What the hell? Is this broken already?”    


“It’s not broken.” Then, a small smile crossed Chiaki’s face. “But then, I suppose it’s hard to tell when the controller isn’t connected to the console in the first place.” 

“Wha-?!” Miu’s expression became comically shocked. “Wait, were you messing with me this entire time?” 

“I’m sure you could be better than the hard computer player. But if you want to play with me for real, I won’t lose.” Chiaki said, still smiling slyly. 

“Oh ho ho ho. You don’t know what you’ve done, Nanamini. If you think you’re so clever, I’m going to make you my official rival!” Miu declared. “I’m not going to stop until I outsmart you!” 

“Is this really going to be okay?” Kaede asked herself out loud.    


“I have confidence in Miss Nanami’s ability,” Hifumi said, taking a seat next to Kaede. He held a tray containing a bottle of water and sliced fruit. “She’ll beat Miss Iruma again!”   


“I’m going to take a guess and say that those are for Nanami.” Kaede said, eyeing the tray. 

“She will not want for nourishment,” Hifumi said in his deep, dramatic voice. “It always pays to be prepared!” 

When the race ended with Chiaki winning again, Miu sighed and set down the controller. “Okay, so you’re really good at games! That just means that I’ll have to beat you with the brilliance of my inventions!”    


_ You’re less of a sore loser than I thought you’d be, Miu… but still a bit of a sore loser.  _

“I’d like to play against you and Nanami!” Kaede said out loud, looking forward to playing something that wasn’t a casino game. 

Predictably, Chiaki won her games against Kaede, but both girls enjoyed themselves anyways. “I haven’t played games very often, but I wouldn’t mind learning from you, Nanami!” 

“Co-Op games can be more satisfying than single player, when you play with your friends,” Chiaki said. She paused to drink the water that Hifumi gave her. “But I’d like to watch for a few rounds.”    


That left Miu to play against Kaede, and after an intense struggle Miu won. “How does it feel to be completely crushed by me?” Miu bragged arrogantly.    


“Why am not surprised you’re like this,” Kaede said dryly. “Maybe the next time we play, I’ll beat you!” 

“Ha! There won’t be a next time, because by tomorrow I’ll have invented something to get us out of here!” Miu exclaimed. “Speaking of which, I need to get to the materials I bought.”    


Miu left the entertainment hall, leaving Kaede with a familiar exasperation.    


“I have no interest in 3D girls. But even among everyone here, Miss Iruma has a completely rotten attitude,” Hifumi said. “Miss Akamatsu, it’s tragic that you have her as a classmate.” 

“Yeah, Miu is hard to be around sometimes, but that doesn’t mean she’s not my friend,” Kaede said, folding her arms together. “And from what I remember, she did come through for me before.”   


While it had taken some prodding, Miu had created inventions to help Kaede in her goal of catching the mastermind. Kaede had misused those inventions, so a part of her was not surprised how much Miu distrusted her. 

“And Iruma’s concern about finding an exit is valid. Even on an island like this, there should be a way for us to leave,” Chiaki said. “We can find it if we work together… I think.”    


The door to the entertainment hall opened, and Ryoma entered, with Tsumugi right behind him. “Kaede. Could you meet me in the massage hall?” Ryoma asked.

“If you want to talk about something, we can do it here,” Kaede said. “Anything you can say to me, you can say to Nanami and Yamada!”    


“It’s not about me. It’s about someone else.” With those cryptic words, Ryoma left.    


“What about you, Tsumugi? Are you part of whatever Ryoma has planned?” 

“No, I’m just a plain messenger girl. I’m here to tell Yamada that the Overlord wants us to help him at the casino games.” Tsumugi explained. “We’re to find nourishment for Ent-B!”    


“So his familiar needs sustenance? As a humble servant, I can but obey.” With those dramatic words, Hifumi left with Tsumugi.    


“Will you be alright by yourself, Chiaki? It looks like you’re going to end up alone,” Kaede pointed out. “Given the circumstances…”    


“I’ll ask someone else to play with me. Go meet with Hoshi.” Chiaki said, smiling. 

Remembering their conversation from earlier today, Kaede decided to trust Chiaki could look after herself. 

_So Ryoma wants to talk about_ ‘ _ someone else’. Considering the conversation from this morning, I have a feeling I know who Ryoma is talking about.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you agree with the methods displayed here? Is there really a better way available? These are the questions I hope the readers consider after seeing these events. See you next time! Please review.


	21. Chapter 2, Daily Life VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The continuation to last chapter! Where we learn the motive behind Ryoma's invitation, and from there Kaede must grapple with the true nature of the current situation. Enjoy, my readers!

Ryoma’s destination was the massage parlor. At first Kaede quirked an eyebrow at this, but he opened the door and pointed inside.    


Kaede entered, and saw that Peko was laying on her back on one of the massage tables, staring at the ceiling.    


“What are you doing here?” Kaede asked curiously. She received no answer, while Ryoma climbed onto a massage table and lay on his back. 

Still uncertain, Kaede decided to lay onto a table as well.    


For what felt like an eternity, the three of them were blanketed in silence, looking at the ceiling. Kaede could feel the thoughts she’d been avoiding coming to the forefront.    


The fact that she hadn’t approached the piano once since the first time. Her ability, or inability, to lead the group in Kaito’s stead. The Grand Killing Game looming over them as a whole. 

“Okay, I really want to know why we’re all here, Ryoma,” Kaede said, still laying on her back. 

“I suppose we are losing ourselves in the universe at large, ” Ryoma said. “We’re all here because we have thoughts we can’t share with anyone else.”    


Kaede looked over at Peko, wondering if this included her. For another good while, the Swordswoman still didn’t say anything. 

Just when Kaede was about to give up on hearing anything from her, Peko said, “...I grew up with only one purpose in life. To be the sword and shield for my Young Master.”    


Before she could say anything, Kaede noticed Ryoma put his finger to his lips. So she held her words, and listened instead. 

“It was the only life I ever knew. As a tool, I never allowed myself to have feelings,” Peko continued. “But I was content. Until one day, me and my Young Master found ourselves trapped on Jabberwock Island.” 

At this point the swordswoman fell silent, and Kaede wondered if now she should say something. Ryoma beat her to it, saying, “During my killing game, I did not believe there was any reason for me to live. I was told to my face that there was no one in the world important to me, no one who would miss me if I were gone.”   


Kaede remembered hearing this earlier, and suspected Monokuma was responsible. She felt fury at such cruel words being told to Ryoma.    


“Then I was approached by someone. A woman that held critical importance to a lot of people,” Ryoma continued. “She told me she could not remain trapped, that she was needed. So I willingly offered my worthless life to her so she could go free.” 

“Then that’s how you ended up here…” Kaede felt sick to her stomach. She sacrificed herself to make sure she was the only one to die, but Ryoma had been forced to make that choice as well. 

“Giving up my life has resulted in this- I’m still alive, and the one I wanted to help is nowhere to be seen. Funny how that worked out.”    


“...Funny? Are you saying that everything I’ve done was for nothing, then?” Peko said, sitting up with a furious look on her face.    


Ryoma opened an eye, looking at Peko. “Who said I was talking about you? I was rambling about my own sorry story out loud. Did it hit a nerve with you?”    


The fury left Peko’s face, to be replaced with sorrow. “So you were baiting a response from me. I suppose my own story is similar to yours.”    


“If you’re worried about being judged, don’t be,” Kaede said in her best reassuring voice. “Everyone in this room has their regrets.”    


Laying on her back again, Peko resumed her soliloquy. “Even on Jabberwock Island, my purpose remained clear- to protect my Young Master from all harm. Becoming a Blackened served that purpose, making sure he would not die from execution.”    


“But I underestimated Monokuma. I accepted my execution, accepted giving up my life so my Young Master would live.” Peko clenched her fists. “What I didn’t know is that my Young Master had been allowed onto the execution grounds. The last sight I remember before I ended up here… is seeing my blade cutting into the very person I existed to protect.” 

“But surely Monokuma wouldn’t allow an innocent person to die! I’m sure your important person is still alive!” Kaede said, seeing the storm on Peko’s expression darkening. “You can still find them again!”    


“Chabashira did mention this idea before. She could even be right. Even still…” Peko shook her head. “After failing my sole duty in life, do I even deserve to see him again? If he didn’t hate me before, surely he hates me now.”    


“I don’t know this person that you hold so dear. However, I will say this,” Ryoma said. “Despite everything, you are here. No one can give you the answer you seek, but at least you’re still here.”    


“I’m here, but without a purpose. A broken, useless tool. At least, that’s what I believed, until today.” Peko said. “Because earlier, I met with Nagito…”

* * *

_ “Hello there, Peko. What can I help you with?” Nagito asked cheerfully.  _

_ “I need your help with something.” Peko answered simply.  _ _   
_

_ “If you need trash like me, it must be for an important reason,” Nagito said. “Could it be that you’ve decided to become a Blackened again, to reunite with your hope?”  _ _   
_

_ “…!” Somehow, Peko had forgotten how perceptive Nagito could be. “I won’t waste words. You are correct.”  _ _   
_

_ “If you believe that your hope is strong enough to beat everyone else’s, I will gladly help you!” Nagito exclaimed madly. “Together, we will create a murder that will mislead everyone!”  _ _   
_

_ Peko felt a pit in her stomach at having to resort to these methods.  _

_ “But I have no choice. I’m nothing but a tool. I’m nothing as a person. I’m-” _

* * *

“At that moment, I hesitated.” 

Kaede was so surprised to hear those words that she looked over at Peko, and saw that her expression was bewildered.    


“I’ve never hesitated before. And it couldn’t have been for longer than a second. Yet, it happened.”    


“Then the question is, what would cause you to hesitate, when you never have before?” Ryoma asked.    


Peko didn’t answer right away. First, she cleared her throat, then said, “‘You have the strength to overcome anything.’ Words that could be considered entirely ridiculous, and yet said to me with such sincerity and conviction that they’ve stuck with me even now. Those words stopped me for an instant. After that…”

* * *

_ I see. If that’s how it is…” Nagito crossed his arms. “I hereby rescind my offer.”  _ _   
_

_ “Wait, why are you changing your mind after you just agreed to help me?” Peko asked, her eye twitching.  _ _   
_

_ “I agreed to help further a strong hope. But your reaction just now told me that you killing me wouldn’t do either of us any good,” Nagito said. Then, he grinned. “No, it looks like your path to hope is going to be much more difficult, Peko. I wish you the best.”  _ _   
_

_ Then, with an almost offensively casual air, Nagito turned around and made to leave.  _ _   
_

_ “Wait. Are you going to tell everyone about what we talked about?” Peko did not like the idea of having the rest of the students becoming wary of her. Still grinning, Nagito called out, "Ishimaru! Come over here!"  
  
_ _ As she heard the sound of footsteps approaching them, Peko instantly understood why Nagito had done that- to have a witness that would see him with her.  _

_ “I haven’t made up my mind about what I'll do next.” Nagito lazily waved his hand, still facing away from her. “But I did appreciate being considered useful, even if I let you down in the end.” _

* * *

“Wait, so you asked Komaeda to let you murder him, and he feels like he let you down? The more I learn about him, the more I think he’s… not right in the head,” Kaede said, for lack of a better way to describe him. 

“No, that’s not quite how it is. His actions all follow a logic, it’s just one that only makes sense to him,” Peko said quietly. “Our conversation set me so ill at ease, I decided to take some time to reflect on my thoughts. And well, here I am.” 

“Considering everything you’ve told us, it sounds like you’re detached from your own life.” Ryoma said.

“I have a second life I never asked for, and no idea of what to do with myself,” Peko said, looking down at her hands. “I can’t erase all the blood I’ve spilled in my life. Do I really deserve to be here?”    


“I’ve taken many lives myself. Komaeda was right about one thing- this won’t be easy for you.” Ryoma said. He sat up, stretching his arms. “But if you want to keep living, then that’s a start.”    


“I want to help everyone escape this island, including you, Pekoyama,” Kaede added, getting up as well. “So please, don’t give up on yourself!”    


“...To think that I would have others that would try to understand me. It should be impossible for a discarded tool to move again.” Peko got off the massage table. “But maybe the impossible will happen.”    


The three of them left the massage parlor going their separate ways. Outside, it was night and the stars were out. Kaede spotted Sayaka standing outside, looking at the sky.    


“Hey there, Maizono! How have you been holding up today?” Kaede asked. 

“As well as I could be, I suppose. I still can’t help but think about the people important to me,” Sayaka answered. “I need to keep telling myself that they’re okay.”   


“That’s good! It sounds like everyone is handling the motive differently.” For a moment, Kaede considered talking about her conversation with Peko and Ryoma. But out of respect for the trust they showed her, she held back. “But we can’t let up! We need to keep fighting against whatever other tricks Monokuma has planned!”    


“I’m too tired to do anymore fighting, even the metaphoric kind,” Sayaka said, smiling weakly. “I’m going to head off to bed now.”    


“Good night, then!” After Sayaka left to the dormitories, Kaede walked around to see if anyone else was outside. She spotted the last person she expected- Nagito, coming out of the dining hall.    


“Hello, Komaeda!” Kaede called out.    


“Good evening, Akamatsu. You’re out pretty late,” Nagito said. “That’s awfully bold of you.”    


“It’s not against the rules to walk around at night.” Then an idea occurred to her. “I’ve been asking people about their day, because I want to know how the motive has affected them. How are you doing?”    


“It doesn’t matter how I’m doing! The shining Ultimates are much more important than little ol' insignificant me.” Nagito said with his usual fanatic attitude. 

If Peko hadn’t told Kaede about what happened, the pianist would have never suspected he almost agreed to plot his own murder.

“You’re an Ultimate too, you know,” Kaede pointed out. "It wouldn't hurt to act like it."   


“My talent isn’t worth anything. As the Ultimate Pianist, you must be important for spreading the arts,” Nagito said, his eyes shining. “But all I have is my luck.”    


“Right, you’re the Ultimate Lucky Student…” The only time Kaede had seen luck affect Nagito is when he just happened to get a good prize to swap with Ryoma. “Still, it is your talent.”    


“My luck has been utterly useless up until now. But that’s okay,” Nagito said. “Because it means that amazing luck is surely on its way!” 

“I hope you get that luck soon, then.” Nagito headed to the casino, while Kaede headed towards the dormitories. Entering her room, she got under her covers.

_ A lot happened today. It’s true, there are cracks in our group right now. After talking with Peko, though… I know what I want to fight for. I want to help everyone that’s struggling with their guilt. In circumstances like this, no one has the right to judge anyone else for what they’ve done!  _ _   
_

Even with her mind racing with thoughts, it didn’t take long for Kaede to fall into a deep sleep.    
****

**Monokuma Theater**

Why do people say to ‘prepare for the unexpected’? If you prepare, then by definition it isn’t unexpected anymore!

Would that just take all the surprise out of life? If you never prepare for anything, then you could win the lottery at any moment. 

But it also means that you could be hit by a car at any moment! If anyone doesn’t want to live with that risk, they aren’t living at all. 

That’s why I’m proud to never prepare for anything!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, feedback would be much appreciated. This time, please thank the team's artist for the piece in this chapter! With the events that Kaede has witnessed, what can she do? What would you do in her place? See you next time! Please review!


	22. Chapter 2, Daily Life VII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone hasn't been left in suspense for too long. When we last left off, several characters had serious self-reflection on themselves, and their lives as a whole. So what will everyone do during a new day? Enjoy, my readers!

“Hey, has anyone seen Nagito?” Chiaki asked, once everyone gathered at the dining hall. 

Looking around, Kaede did see that Nagito alone seemed to be missing. While he was far from Kaede’s favorite person, she still hoped that nothing bad happened to him. 

“Tch. That madman will turn up sooner or later,” Gundham said dismissively. “Likely when everyone ill needs him.”    


“I admit, it’s easier to maintain order without him around,” Ishimaru said, albeit guilt lacing his tone for even entertaining the thought.    


“It seems like Komaeda is the least popular person here,” Tsumugi noted. “You’d almost feel bad if he weren’t always going on crazy rants.” 

“He’s still a person…” Kaede said, actually feeling bad at how little everyone seemed to care about his well-being. Not far away, Chiaki also looked displeased, but also seemed to realize that no one was going to change their minds.    


“We can worry about him later. There are greater concerns at hand here,” Rantaro said, looking tense. “Monokuma will likely act if he feels a murder is taking too long.”    


“Before you get into that, may I say something?” Peko said suddenly.    


“Any new perspective is likely to have some value,” Korekiyo said, chuckling. “I am interested in hearing you out.” 

“It doesn’t sound like there are any objections. You are free to speak, Pekoyama!” Ishimaru declared. 

“It’s about our location. Last night, I recalled every detail I could about this area, and the snow fields we were residing in previously,” Peko said. “And nowhere is there something that could indicate where exactly we are.” 

“We’re on a fucking island! If you’re going to talk, at least say something that isn’t worthless!” Miu snapped. 

“If you don’t have something nice to say, then maybe you should stay quiet!” Tenko snapped back. 

“Heeee! Don’t yell at me for no reason…” Miu whimpered.    


“Don’t be afraid to say what’s on your mind, Pekoyama!” Tenko added. 

“...Thank you, Chabashira.” Addressing the room at large, Peko continued, “Let me put it this way. Maizono, while your class were trapped in Hope’s Peak, you at least knew where you were. The world outside the walls still existed.” 

“I guess you’re right. That wasn’t always a good thing.” Sayaka said quietly. 

“While I was trapped with my class on Jabberwock Island, at least I recognized the island’s name,” Peko said. “I knew that my home was somewhere off the island’s shores.”    


Gundham broke out into a cold sweat. “So that’s your point, scarlet-eyed warrior. ‘Kismet Island’ is an aberration, an existence that is outside the common knowledge we share.” On his shoulder, Ent-B trilled sadly. 

“Exactly. I have seen nothing that indicates if this place belongs to any nation, or where it is in relation to the rest of the world,” Peko said, her own expression troubled. “It’s an isolating feeling, to say the least.” 

“Then why did you feel the need to point it out? Are you intending to spread that feeling to the rest of us?” Hifumi asked, covered in cold sweat.    


“I don’t think that’s it at all! I mean, if not Pekoyama, then someone else would have noticed eventually!” Tenko exclaimed. “It’s better if we face this now, so we can become strong enough to overcome this!” 

“Remember how Monokuma has structured things. He hid the fact that we were on an island from everyone until he knew it would affect us the worst,” Kaede pointed out. “Likewise, he’s probably hoping that the truth of this island is going to break our spirits.”

“I believe it is truly impossible for the creator of this place to truly erase their presence,” Korekiyo said, smirking underneath his mask. “Somewhere in the structure of our prison, there is the thumbprint that could lead us to the truth.”

“A thumbprint? Now I wish we had Kyoko here!” Ishimaru exclaimed. “She’s very smart, so she could learn from that instantly!”    


“I think Shinguji meant a metaphorical thumbprint.” Sayaka pointed out. 

“The point is, whatever the deal with this island is, we have to face it on our terms!” Kaede declared. 

“So then you’re suggesting that we drink our poison now instead of later,” Ryoma said, a bitter smirk on his face. “Well, it’s not like what we learn could be worse than what we’ve already experienced.” 

“Are you sure about that?” Monokuma asked, suddenly in the dining hall. 

“Of course. I was wondering when you would appear to stir up trouble,” Rantaro said, glaring at the mechanical bear. “I suppose you’re bored now since there haven’t been any murders.”   


“Puhuhuhu… that’s not my primary concern right now,” Monokuma said. “To be sure, keeping this killing game moving is my job. But I can’t leave this conversation unaddressed either. So you’re curious about this island, aren’t you?”   


Gundham was immediately wary, Ent-B flapping his wings aggressively. “Vicious fiend… what price are you going to extract from us?”

“Believe or not, this one piece of information will be free! Consider it an… incentive.” After letting those ominous words hang for a few seconds, Monokuma continued, “Rest assured, just as your bodies are real, this island is real too. If you were to somehow leave the shore, you’d encounter something eventually.”    


“‘Eventually’? That’s way too vague!” Tenko cried out.    


“That’s all you're going to get from me! If you want to learn more, you’re going to have to work for it!”    


After Monokuma left, Ishimaru said, “It doesn’t feel like we actually learned anything from that.” 

“If you want to learn more about this island, then I might have just the thing. Gya ha ha ha ha!” Miu suddenly cackled loudly out of nowhere. “Last night, my assistant helped put the finishing touches on my latest invention!”    


“With parts made from different prizes Iruma won at the casino, she created a machine,” Sayaka said. Kaede looked at the idol, surprised. She’d forgotten that Sayaka had volunteered herself as Miu’s assistant. “But it would be better if she explained it herself.”    


“But I’m tired of everyone always looking down on me! So if you want to learn more about my invention, maybe start treating me like the queen I am!” Miu declared. “Starting with an apology from Tencrotch!” 

“F-from me? Was I really that harsh earlier?” Tenko asked. 

This all felt all too familiar from Kaede. Which thankfully meant that she had an idea of how to deal with this. Walking up to Miu, she grabbed the inventor’s hand.    


“Kaeidiot, wh-what are you-?!” 

“Tenko was defending her friend. But, I understand that you might want to be treated better,” Kaede said, looking straight at Miu. “But you need to treat people better too! Maizono is your friend, and I’d like to be your friend too. So start treating us like it!”

“F-friend? Sh-she’s my assistant! A golden girl genius like me doesn’t need friends!” Yet, Miu’s words were belied by the stutter in her voice, and her bright pink face. “Anyways, I’m headed to the casino to show off my invention! I don’t care if any of you lameasses are there or not!”

Taking her hand out of Kaede’s grasp, Miu stormed off. Tenko still looked troubled. “Maybe I should have apologized. Yelling at each other isn’t going to do any good right now…” 

“I understand what you’re saying, Chabashira, but you can’t concede to everything that Iruma wants,” Peko said. “She needs to learn how to make compromises.” 

“Well, if you say so, Pekoyama. Still, I think we should see what this invention is!” Tenko exclaimed.    


“The more important issue is finding a way off this island,” Rantaro said. “Let’s look around and see if we can find any clues.”

* * *

From there, the group disbanded. Remembering what Ryoma had told her yesterday, Kaede stayed back briefly to talk with him.    


“So, have you figured things out, Ryoma?” Kaede asked. 

“You know what? I think I have,” Ryoma answered. “I thought I would spend my life in prison, and then I got kidnapped into a Killing Game. I gave up my life, and I somehow lived through death. Even I’m not stubborn enough to ignore that many signs.” 

“I’m so happy for you!” Kaede exclaimed, smiling. “Then, do you know what you’re going to do once we leave this island?”    


“Not entirely. But I do know that it might be time to stop pushing people away.” Ryoma said. He looked up to Kaede. “Beyond all logic, Kaede, you insisted on spending time with a dangerous murderer. Most people would call you crazy, but I couldn’t ask for a better person to be my first friend in this new life.”    


“Okay, but if I’m your first friend, that means you're going to make more!” Kaede declared. “So it’s time for you to start talking with people! I will help you, even if I have to drag you there myself!” 

“Hmph. I’ve made myself a troublesome friend, haven’t I?” Despite his words, Ryoma was smiling. “I still have a ways to go in this second life. But I also have all the time in the world to get there.”   


“And I’ll be by your side no matter what, Ryoma!”  _ I feel that Ryoma has much less regrets than he did before. Instead, I feel a new kind of passion in him. _

* * *

After making such a public declaration earlier, Kaede felt that it was only right for her to check out Miu’s invention showcase. As soon as she entered the casino, she saw that Miu was in the games area, with some of the other students looking on curiously. One of them was Rantaro.    


Before the showcase started, Kaede decided to talk with him briefly. “Rantaro, are you okay?”    


“You’ll have to be more specific, Kaede. There’s a lot going on right now,” Rantaro said, shrugging in his carefree fashion.    
  
“When the motive was announced, you seemed… on edge,” Kaede said. “You’ve been pretty forceful these past few days. And even now, you still seem to be tense about something. So I can’t help but be worried.”    


“I hope you don’t feel the need to look after me because you tried to kill me,” Rantaro said. “I already said you didn’t have to worry about that anymore.”    


“It’s not about that!” Kaede said heatedly. “We’re friends and classmates, Rantaro! Of course I want to make sure nothing is bothering you!” 

“I appreciate your concern. Truth be told, it’s hard to not be affected by this motive,” Rantaro admitted. “But it’s not going to go how the mastermind wants. I will make sure of it.”    


“Please, don’t do anything reckless by yourself. Now more than ever, we need to stick together as a group,” Kaede pleaded. “And I don’t want to lose you again!”    


Rantaro crossed his arms and looked away, going silent. And before Kaede could ask anything else, Miu’s voice cut through the casino:    


“I hope everyone’s eyes are on me! Because it’s time for me to show what I can really do!” Miu declared, with Sayaka standing next to her. The idol held up a blank tablet that didn’t seem like a Monopad. “Now, you see in my assistant's hand that the screen is blank.”    


Next, Miu took out what seemed to be a small controller. She pushed some buttons on it, and the screen in Sayaka’s hand turned on. Kaede gasped when this happened, because it showed none other than everyone else standing around, from a top down perspective. 

“Presenting Miu Iruma’s Mobile Voyeur!” Something small leaped down into Miu’s hand. It turned out to be what looked like a small camera with legs. “This baby has crisp picture quality and can pick up any sound! Not only that, but these legs can traverse any surface! The footfalls are so quiet no person on earth could hear them! This invention is perfect for if you want to see areas that you can’t reach otherwise!”

The small invention skittered around Miu’s hand. Even Kaede, with her trained ears, couldn’t pick up any sound from the movement.    


Miu was definitely proud of her invention, but the rest of the student body had a more mixed reaction. “Iruma… that name you gave your invention. You don’t plan to peek at anyone, do you?” Ishimaru asked nervously.    


“Of course not! If anything, I should be worried if this invention fell into anyone else’s hands. I can’t imagine anyone here that wouldn’t want to see my body in all its glory…” Miu got lost in whatever fantasy she had in her head. 

“I’m also concerned about the potential use of this invention. If it’s half as good as Iruma describes, she could use it whenever she wants and no one would be the wiser,” Peko said, her lips pursed in disapproval. “When a murder can happen at anytime…”

Kaede understood the concerns, but she also didn’t like where things were going. She decided to seize the initiative. “I don’t believe Miu is going to use this for anything illicit! If she were, then there’d be no reason to tell everyone about the invention in the first place!”    


“Even still, the very idea that we could be spied on isn’t very comforting…” Tsumugi said meekly. 

“Monokuma is already spying on us. At least with this invention, we can decide for ourselves how it’s used,” Chiaki said. “If everyone is really so concerned about what Iruma is going to do, we can talk it out with her. Right, Iruma?”

“The maiden voyage of the Mobile Voyeur is a secret, Nanamini! I want to test out how far this baby can go!” Miu exclaimed. “But if you beg for it, I’m sure I can tell you the results!”    


“Hmm? It sounds like you didn’t quite learn from going against me yesterday,” Chiaki said, tilting her head. “Do you need another lesson?”

“H-hey! Learn to take a j-joke,” Miu said, her confidence immediately vanishing. “And Kaeidiot, stop that smirking!”    


Kaede covered her amused grin.  _ It looks like Chiaki beating Miu at games humbled her more than I thought.  _

“Whatever Iruma is using her invention for, she is going to tell me first,” Chiaki continued, wearing her own smile. “At least for the test run. After that, we can decide how to best use this invention together.” 

“Some stop this sadistic shortstack from extorting me!” Miu cried out. 

“I think this is a great idea!” Ishimaru exclaimed. “At last, Iruma is acting like a proper student!” 

“Don’t feel bad, Iruma,” Sayaka said in a comforting tone. “At least you could call this showcase a success?” 

“Oh, fuck you all!”

* * *

While the other students still had their doubts, Chiaki’s ability to handle Miu at least put them at ease. Kaede decided to spend her time continuing to check on people. 

“I haven’t seen much of you in a few days, Taka. How much have you talked with Yamada?”    


“To be honest, not at all,” Ishimaru admitted. “I know I should, but it’s hard to get over the fact that he killed me. It doesn’t help that I’m still struggling to feel confident.” 

“I can’t blame you for that, I guess. Still, as someone that had to face the person they killed, I feel like it’s better to at least try,” Kaede said. “Otherwise, this unresolved thorn is going to keep sticking in your chest.” 

“I know Momota would probably want me to face this like a man too. I just need more time,” Ishimaru said, clenching his fists. “But I will settle things with Hifumi!”    


Hearing that  was a relief to Kaede. “I remember you playing cards with Rantaro. Would you play a few rounds with me?”    


“It would be my pleasure, Kaede!” The two of them headed to an empty table, but as they passed the stairs to the second floor… 

“Komaeda, is that you? Where have you been all morning?”

Nagito was halfway up the stairs, so his back was to Kaede and Ishimaru. “I doubt any of you care about a trash person like me,” said Nagito. “Ultimates have better things to do.”   


“Nonsense! Nanami was worried about you!” Ishimaru yelled. “And I’m sure-!” 

“As much as I’d like to chat, I need to attend to something urgently,” Nagito interrupted. “In the name of hope!”    


Nagito walked up the rest of the stairs, not even turning towards Kaede and Ishimaru once. 

Rubbing her temples, Kaede said, “At least he seems to be okay. Still, we should probably tell the others about him.” 

Instead of heading towards the left half of the casino, the two of them returned to everyone else at the right half. 

Ryoma, was in front of the giant gacha machine, though with him were Chiaki, and Gundham. Kaede told them about the unexpected encounter.    


“So Nagito is still alive. That’s a weight off my mind,” Chiaki said. “You never know when he’s planning something.”    


Kaede considered the conversation she shared with her, Nagito, and Gundham. Related… “Where’s Pekoyama?”    


“She is over there, but I would not trouble her at this moment.” Gundham pointed at a table, where Peko seemed to be in the middle of talking with Tenko.    


Despite Gundham’s words, Kaede walked over to them, catching bits of their conversation in the progress.    


“...And when everyone was feeling down, she put on a magic show for everyone!”    


“So that’s why you are so enthralled by magic. It is not something I’ve given much thought to before.”    


“Well, if you’re interested in magic, I could-” Tenko noticed Kaede. “Hello! Do you want to join us, Kaede?” 

“Maybe later. Right now, I feel kind of bad for interrupting.” Kaede said, embarrassed. 

“If you want to talk, I could make some time later,” Peko said. “I… have given a lot of thought to what I should do since yesterday.”    


Kaede recalled the conversation in the massage parlor. “If you have time, I’d be glad to talk! But for now, I’ll leave you to continue your conversation with Tenko!” 

“See you later, Akamatsu.” 

“Bye, Kaede! I hope we can see each other again soon!” Tenko exclaimed cheerfully.    


_ It’s good that Peko has a friend in Tenko.  _ With that thought in mind, Kaede went back towards the giant gacha machine, which Ryoma was still looking at.    


“Are you thinking you could try for a better prize?”    


“It’s tempting. The allure of the casino is that you feel as if you are always one step away from hitting it big,” Ryoma said. “It makes you want to try your luck until you do.”    


“Since these Mono-Credits aren’t real money, losing them wouldn’t mean anything.” Kaede knew that Monokuma was watching them, and felt a petty desire to keep sniping at him indirectly. 

Ryoma pulled his hat over his eyes. “Then here goes nothing.”    


He punched in the command on the Monopad, and the giant lever of the gacha machine turned. From the opening, a capsule with a shining gold lid rolled in front of them.    


“You got the rarest prize!” Kaede gasped. “Go see what it is!”    


At first Ryoma approached the capsule casually. As he looked into the lower half, however, his face went pale. “Is this someone’s idea of a sick joke?”    


“Huh?” Kaede went over the capsule and bent down to see inside. “What’s wrong…?” 

_ The sight of Nagito’s body in the capsule was so absurd, I thought the whole thing was somehow an elaborate prank. That at any moment, Komaeda would open his eyes and get out, laughing that laugh of his.  _   


_ But inside the capsule, Nagito never opened his eyes- in fact, he would never move again. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The characters now have a most curious situation on their hands. What do the readers think might have happened? How will your theories change between now and the investigation that will follow? I hope to get the investigation chapters into everyone's hands faster. Until then, see you next time! Please review.


	23. Chapter 2, Deadly Life I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The investigation into the new murder begins! As always, there will be evidence and testimony on everyone's version of what happened. Which of them is the true version is up to the readers to discern. Enjoy!

“Akamatsu, Hoshi, what are you looking…?” Sayaka’s eyes fell onto Nagito’s body inside the giant capsule ball, and the moment she processed the sight , she screamed. 

But her scream was drowned out by a chime echoing through the casino. “A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time, a class trial will be held. Use that time to your heart’s content!”   


Miu was the next to arrive, coming from the right side of the building with Chiaki in tow. “It’s been ten minutes since I showed my invention, and there’s already been a murder?!”    


Chiaki’s expression was of massive shock. “When did this happen? Why did this happen?”    


The rest of the students filtered into the casino: Tenko and Peko from the right side, Ishimaru and Rantaro from the left side, and Korekiyo and Gundham making his way downstairs. Tsumugi and Hifumi came in from the front door. 

“So, it’s begun again,” Rantaro said, a shadow crossing his eyes. “That means that any moment now, Monokuma will appear.” 

“Ahahahaha! Thaaaat’s riiiight!” Monokuma declared triumphantly. “Now this is more like it! A body found in mysterious circumstances is perfect for the Grand Killing Game!” 

“Which means you’re going to hand out the Monokuma File. Get on with it already, then!” Kaede exclaimed.

“Hey, don’t try to rush me, or I’ll get angry,” Monokuma growled. With a wave of his paw, everyone’s Monopad beeped. “After all, your life now depends on finding the killer.”    


Monokuma File #2 read as follows: “The victim is Nagito Komaeda, the Ultimate Lucky Student. The body was found on the first floor of the Kismet Island casino. His cause of death is a stab to the chest with a knife. No other injuries noted.”    
****

**Monokuma File #2 added to the Truth Bullets **

“There is no time of death listed here,” Peko noted. “But there was one last time, during Momota’s murder.”    


“But I saw Komaeda myself, going up the stairs,” Ishimaru said, his expression focused. “I think we can figure out the time of death for ourselves.” 

Kaede had been with Ishimaru when that happened, and was about to think nothing more of the issue, when… 

“Puhuhuhu.”    


_ Why did Monokuma laugh just then?  _

“I have a question about the gacha machine,” Chiaki said. “What are the rates for the different prizes?”    


Monokuma tilted his head. “Is the Ultimate Gamer hoping to find an exploit to get a prize they want?”    


“...I think trying to get a prize is far from anyone’s mind,” Chiaki said quietly. “I believe it’s important to know this, for the case.”    


“Trying to cheat the gacha machine is against the rules anyways!” Monokuma declared. “As for your question, common prizes appear at a rate of fifty percent, uncommon prizes at thirty-five percent, and rare prizes at a paltry fifteen percent!”    


By now, Kaede understood that the gears in Chiaki’s head were turning, and made a point to memorize this conversation.    
****

**Gacha Machine Rates added to the Truth Bullets **

“That’s all the hints you’ll get from me! I look forward to seeing what my precious students come up with…”    


After Monokuma’s departure, Ishimaru pulled Kaito’s jacket close to himself. “We really have to do another class trial? We have to condemn one of our friends to execution?”

“The further along this path we walk, the more blood will pool at our feet,” Gundham said, crossing his arms. “And for some of us, the weight of that crimson sea is heavy indeed.”    


“We can’t forget- it’s Monokuma that’s forcing us to do this over and over!” Kaede said. “He even claims to have brought us from the dead to force us into another sick game!”    


“Kaede is right! We have to make it past this trial! For Kaito, and Enoshima, and for Komaeda, who can’t be with us anymore!” Tenko declared. 

_ I still don’t know how well I can do at solving mysteries. But the least I can do is try! _

**Investigation Start**

Ryoma, already close to the capsule containing Nagito’s body, took another look inside. “It definitely looks like a kitchen knife that’s in his chest. At a glance, it only looks like a single stab.”

**Kitchen Knife added to the Truth Bullets **

“It would be easier to tell if we could investigate the body directly.” Peko approached the capsule, and tried to pry it open. She frowned, and put more force into it, to no avail. “This capsule has been sealed shut somehow.”    


“I could help if the lid is being stubborn, Pekoyama?” Tenko suggested.    


“I suppose there is no harm in trying, Chabashira.” Both girls put all their strength in trying to remove the capsule lid, and even then couldn’t succeed.    


“The Blackened really didn’t want anyone to be able investigate the body closely,” Sayaka said, her tone concerned. “This could be a problem.” 

“I’m sure between Tenko and Pekoyama they could break the capsule easily!” Kaede exclaimed. 

“Breaking the capsule risks damaging the integrity of the evidence,” Rantaro said. “If shards of glass cut the body, it could hide anything left by the killer.”    


“Then for the time being, we have no choice but to leave it like this…” Kaede admitted begrudgingly.    
****

**Golden Capsule added to the Truth Bullets **

There was another thing Kaede had on her mind. Earlier, Monokuma had stated that trying to cheat the gacha machine was against the rules. Kaede had a feeling this meant  a  temporary rule that declared any cheating illegal. She would keep  this feeling to herself, for the time being.    
****

**Casino Rule added to the Truth Bullets **

“I suppose at this point, everyone should split up and investigate on their own,” Rantaro said, regaining his usual relaxed attitude. “As a suggestion, make sure to be accompanied by at least one other person.” 

“I’ll investigate with you!” Kaede immediately said. Miu turned towards her with a raised eyebrow.    


“Damn, Kaediot, that’s very forward of you. I approve!” Miu said, cackling. “Just make sure to find somewhere private-”    


“It’s not like that!” Kaede snapped.    


Rantaro, for his part, didn’t seem concerned. “You may investigate with me, if you want. But we need to find the truth sooner rather than later.” He headed up the stairs, and Kaede followed behind him.

In the area behind the gacha machine, Kaede immediately spotted something- a pool of blood just barely visible against the red carpet.    


“It looks like this is where Komaeda was stabbed . But given where his body ended up, it doesn’t make sense, ” Rantaro said thoughtfully. “H ow did he end up inside of the gacha machine?” 

The question tugged at something in Kaede’s memory. “I remember hearing something about this machine. Give me a second…” 

Kaede approached the machine, and searched for the square outline. Once she found it, she pushed, and found that the outline was in fact a hatch. “I knew it! This goes into the machine itself!”    


“So it does. It’s too soon to say what this hatch is for, but it’s a start,” Rantaro said, a small smile on his face. “Everything about this gacha machine should be assumed to be for a reason.”    
****

**Service Hatch added to the Truth Bullets **

“One thing I can’t help but think about is that.” Rantaro pointed towards the door to the manager’s office. “Why have this room, and then forbid anyone from entering?”    


She’d completely forgotten that the manager’s room existed, given that no one had approached it these past few days. “That is strange, but I doubt it has anything to do with this murder.”    


After looking at the door a while longer, Rantaro focused his attention on the blood stain. Oh? Now this is an interesting clue.” He bent down closer to the ground. 

Curious to see what he was looking at, Kaede followed his lead. In the blood stain, she noticed someone had drawn an arrow that pointed towards the entertainment hall. “Do you think Komaeda did that, or his killer?”    


“Hard to say. But this also has my attention.” Rantaro pointed to a smudge above the arrow. “It looks like the same someone that drew the arrow in blood also tried to leave a message, but it got erased.” 

It definitely looked like the smudge was in some kind of pattern. It didn’t look like letters, but Kaede couldn’t tell what it was beyond that. Though as she looked at the bloodstain, she noticed something else. “This blood seems to be dry. I can barely see it against the carpet.”    
****

**Bloodstain added to the Truth Bullets **

The sound of footsteps caught Kaede’s attention, and she stood back up, in time to see Korekiyo and Gundham heading towards the entertainment hall. 

“We should probably start talking with everyone else, so Kiyo and Tanaka could be a start,” Kaede said. “And it would be a good way to investigate there as well!”   


“You’re certainly enthusiastic.” Rantaro was about to follow Kaede, when he stopped for a second. “But it looks like we have a final clue to consider first.”    


Rantaro’s vision was fixed on the safety railing, to the right of the gacha machine. There appeared to be a white cloth tied to the railing. “It would be okay if we looked at this more closely, as long as we leave it the way we found it, right?”

“That’s certainly one way of thinking about it.” With an amused grin, Rantaro untied the white cloth, and unfolded it. The cloth had a single red line on it: At first Kaede thought it was blood, but soon saw it was a part of the cloth. 

“Something about this seems really familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on it,” Kaede muttered to herself. “And it’s really bothering me.” 

“My attention is more on this.” Rantaro pointed to a tear in the cloth. The tear was unusual- half of it was perfectly smooth, but the other half was jagged. 

“The Blackened definitely used this as part of their plan. But I can’t imagine why.”    
****

**White Cloth added to the Truth Bullets**

After tying the cloth back to where it was before, Rantaro and Kaede entered the entertainment hall. As soon as Kaede lay eyes on the piano, she had to force her eyes away, because even seeing the instrument for a moment made her feel chills.    


Gundham and Korekiyo were conducting investigations of their own, with the former in the theater area and the latter in the stage area.

“Hey guys! Have you found anything so far?” Kaede called out. 

That did catch their attention, and Gundham answered, “Unfortunately, even my evil eye has forsaken me. This room does not bear a trace that is useful.”   


“And yet, you are here investigating.” Rantaro pointed out. “You must have been expecting to find something.”    


“It’s not quite that. Consider this a preemptive measure,” Korekiyo said. “Komaeda died on this second floor, with only myself and Tanaka here at the time. Suspicion will fall upon us.” 

“Then what we saw outside could mean…” Kaede told the two of them about the bloodstain pointing to this very room.

“Then the blasted murderer does wish to offload their crime onto us!” Gundham cried out, enraged. “They will regret the day they crossed me!” 

“Kehehe… interesting decision, Kaede,” Korekiyo said. “Then, do you believe that neither of us are the Blackened?” 

“I’d rather not think that anyone is the Blackened.” Kaede answered, wondering where Kiyo was going with this. 

“Even so, you volunteered important information rather freely,” Korekiyo pointed out. “If either Tanaka or I were the Blackened, then you would be giving us a weapon to use against you.”    


“Then, you’re accusing Kaede of being overly naive,” Rantaro said, leveling a critical eye at Korekiyo. “Are you saying that no one should share anything?”    


It was Kaede that spoke up next, saying, “You say that I’m giving you a weapon. But the bloodstain is right outside, for anyone to see. And if something were to happen to the evidence, well, that certainly wouldn’t look good for you, would it?”    


“Wonderful… how very wonderful!” Korekiyo exclaimed, creeping out Kaede. “You are once again taking aim at the Blackened that has put us in peril. Either they or you will fall…”    


“Listen well, Akamatsu. I will only say this once! My stay in this room was only to inspect it for answers!” Gundham declared. “Neither I or my dark companion ceased our task!”    


_ Translated into words I can understand, I think that means they were here to look for clues about the truth of this island.  _ _   
_ ****

**Gundham’s Account added to the Truth Bullets **

“We will take your word for it. Thank you for your cooperation.” Rantaro turned to Kaede. “I think I want to see where you take the investigation. Where are we going next?”    


“Well, we certainly aren’t done with the casino,” Kaede said, thinking to the state of Komaeda’s body. “And we should check everywhere else, just in case.”    


“Lead the way, then.”    


As Kaede walked out of the entertainment hall, she took one last look at the piano in the room.  _ The suffering that this Killing Game causes can’t be allowed to go on! I will do all I can to solve Komaeda’s murder! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would the audience believe that it was a total coincidence that the Chapter 2 title card perfectly fit the murder I had in mind? It speaks to the skill of the team artist to make a title card so fitting. The investigation continues next chapter, so look forward to it. See you next time! Please review.


	24. Chapter 2, Deadly Life II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second half of the investigation is here! Kaede continues to try and untangle all the threads she sees before her. Will the audience reach a conclusion before she does? Enjoy, my readers!

After walking down to the first floor, Kaede’s first destination was the Nagito’s body, which was still trapped in the giant gacha capsule. Also near the body were Peko and Miu. 

“It seems like you haven’t been able to open the capsule, Pekoyama,” Kaede noted ruefully. This would definitely make getting a clear picture of the murder harder. 

“After a certain point, it’s not worth the energy to keep trying,” Peko said. “I am instead keeping watch over the body.”

“You seem to be busy as well, Miu,” Rantaro said, who was watching the inventor play with a controller in her hands. 

“Doy! My Mobile Voyeur is going through every nook and cranny of this casino!” Shortly after that, the tiny camera skittered out of the prize exit for the machine. “And I’ve already got results!”

“You are going to tell us, right? Now would be the worst time to keep information to yourself,” Kaede said, feeling like she didn’t have the patience for Miu’s usual antics. 

“Are you keeping anything to yourself? Because you have a really bad habit of lying!” Miu fired back.

“Throwing around accusations like this won’t help anyone,” Peko said, narrowing her eyes at Miu. “Maybe you should listen first before running your mouth.” 

Miu wilted under Peko’s cold gaze. “Wh-who are you to tell me what to do, you four-eyed albino?!” 

“‘Albino’?” Peko repeated, one of her eyes twitching. 

Kaede gripped her arm, unable to deny Miu’s words. Instead, she said, “Is that what I have to do for you to trust me again? Then I’ll tell you everything I know right now.” To Miu, and her alone, Kaede whispered all her current observations, even the one about the casino rule. 

...Shit, you actually told me everything?” Miu let out an irritated sigh. “I didn’t know that last bit, so I guess I could share something with you.” 

The inventor took out the tablet connected to the Mobile Voyeur, and turned it on. “This is the footage from inside of that giant machine.”   
  
Looking at the video, Kaede noticed that all the prize capsules were collected into a central area at the top. From the center, the prizes seemed to go through three different doors, colored blue, red, and gold. 

“From what I can tell, Monokuma was telling the truth about the different rates for the prizes,” Kaede said. It was good to have confirmation, given that she trusted Monokuma as far as she could throw him. 

**Gacha Machine Rates updated in the Truth Bullets **

“But that’s not the real reason I’m showing you this!” Miu impatiently pointed at the tablet, and Kaede kept watching the video. 

The Mobile Voyeur continued climbing the prize capsule chamber, until it found another exit at the top of it. The machine pushed through the exit, into- 

“The second floor! So that hatch in the back of the machine goes into the prize chamber!” Kaede exclaimed. 

**Service Hatch updated in the Truth Bullets **

“Ow, don’t shout so close to my ears!” Miu took back the tablet. “Oh, there is one more thing. Have you seen the space behind the gacha machine?” 

“What space?” Miu didn’t explain any further, but impatiently pointed at the machine, so Kaede walked behind it. There didn’t seem to be anything special about it, just an area of the casino that she couldn’t see before. Looking up, Kaede only saw what she already knew- the machine was in front of the safety railing on the second floor. “What am I supposed to be looking at here, Miu?” 

Miu let out a disgusted scoff. “You’d better figure it out before the class trial, Kaeidiot! I’m off to investigate more.” 

**Empty Area added to the Truth Bullets **

After Miu left the casino, taking her invention with her, Peko shook her head. “Iruma only grows more troublesome the more I know her. Do you have a theory regarding this machine, Akamatsu?” 

“Yeah, but I’m still not sure if I can prove it.” Kaede knew she wasn’t a detective, but that is why she wanted as many people to help her as she could. She tried to do everything on her own once, and it had gone wrong in all the worst ways. 

“Pekoyama, where do you think the Blackened got this gold capsule?” 

Peko tilted her head. “I don’t understand the question.” 

“Look, only Gundham won a rare prize, that I remember. So unless someone else won another and I didn’t see it, the Blackened must have taken Gundham’s empty capsule somehow.” Kaede said. 

“I see. From what I’ve observed, not many people carry empty capsules with them,” Peko said, deep in thought. “So perhaps there is somewhere they are stored.” 

“Okay, thanks!” Even as Kaede said that, however, she remembered the conversation with Peko from just yesterday. 

_ Peko almost decided to kill Nagito. Is it possible that she could have changed her mind since yesterday? _

**Suspicious Conversation added to the Truth Bullets **

Kaede had seen the east side of the casino plenty of times, and didn’t see any empty capsules. So she headed to the west side of the casino instead, with Rantaro in tow. 

On that side were some card tables, dice tables, and slot machines. But what this west side had that the east side didn’t was what looked like a storage closet. Kaede spotted Ryoma and Ishimaru already there, and approached them. 

“Hello, Taka and Ryoma! What are you doing here?” Kaede asked. 

“I’m looking for anything that could help!” Ishimaru declared. He immediately slumped his shoulders. “But I don’t think I’ve found anything.” 

“Then have you looked inside of that?” Rantaro pointed at the storage closet. 

“We did. It has most of the empty capsules that everyone’s won over the past few days,” Ryoma said.

Just to double check, Rantaro opened the closet, and saw empty capsules with both red and blue lids, but none with a gold lid.

“Counting the capsules, it matches what I remember everyone winning,” Ryoma said. “But there isn’t much that can tell us.”

“Oh, yes there is!” Kaede quickly summarized her thoughts about the capsule Nagito was in. 

“...Maybe it’s too soon to say this, but Tanaka might be the killer,” Ishimaru said. “There’s a lot of evidence pointing to him.” 

“Perhaps. But it’s important to find all the evidence in an investigation.” Rantaro smiled at Ishimaru. “Even so, thanks for your help.” 

“So the Blackened took the golden capsule from here.” Ryoma took his candy cigarette from his mouth. “Then I’ll tell you something. I saw Tsumugi take a red capsule with her outside the casino.” 

“A red capsule? Did you see what was inside?” Kaede asked. 

“No, I didn’t. It could be nothing, but do with that information what you will.”   
****

**Golden Capsule updated in the Truth Bullets. ** **  
** ****

**Ryoma’s Account added to the Truth Bullets **

Kaede had a question she could only ask Ishimaru. “At around what time did you see Komaeda go up the stairs?”

“If I remember correctly, it was around two in the afternoon,” Ishimaru said, looking at the watch on his wrist. “I do remember it was right after Iruma’s showcase.” 

“Almost everyone was inside the casino at the time of the showcase, except for Yamada and Tsumugi,” Rantaro said. “I think it’s time we questioned them.” 

“Agreed, Rantaro!” _ The showcase was shortly before we found the body. Which means that everyone watching the showcase could be a suspect. _

**Sighting of Nagito added the Truth Bullets **

The two of them left the casino, into the wider walled area. As soon as they did, however, Kaede immediately confronted Rantaro.

“After investigating with you, I think I’ve gotten a good sense of you as a person,” Kaede said. “You’re pretty smart, and good with people. But you also seemed to be driven by something deep inside you.” 

Rantaro crossed his arms, not meeting Kaede’s eyes. After a long silence, he said, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Kaede. But I have a hard time even trusting myself. What I remember… what I don’t remember… I don’t want to say anything that I'm not sure of.”

“Rantaro…” Kaede felt sorrow emanating from the boy, and she felt that same sorrow inside of her. It was clear that whatever Rantaro’s previous history was, it was a heavy one. 

“But we can worry about my past later.” Rantaro put his relaxed expression back on. “I may have said this before, but I’ll make it clear- I’m not going to die. I have too many people relying on me.” 

“There is still the class trial to worry about. But I’m sure we can beat it together! All of us!” Kaede’s declaration drew a more sincere smile from Rantaro, which reassured her.

There were a few more things Kaede wanted to check, so her first destination was the dining hall. Inside were Chiaki and Tenko, who were all the way in the kitchen area. Kaede and Rantaro joined them. 

“Hello, Akamatsu and Amami.” Chiaki yawned, then rubbed her eyes. “You must have had the same suspicions that I did about the murder weapon.” 

“Then I guess it’s a formality to confirm that the knife came from this kitchen.” Rantaro said. 

“That’s right! So me and Nanami have been wracking our minds trying to remember who might have taken the knife!” Tenko exclaimed. 

In that moment, an image flashed into Kaede’s mind: of Nagito walking out of the dining hall, talking with her, then heading to the casino. 

_ Could it be that the one that took the knife was…? _

**Kitchen Knife updated in the Truth Bullets **

_ Saying that right now might make Tenko jump to conclusions. I should wait until I learn more. _

“Akamatsu, do you think that Iruma would be willing to invent a hair dryer?” Chiaki asked. 

“I don’t see why not, but now really isn’t the time to think about your hair,” Kaede said dryly. 

“That’s not it. Chabashira told me that all efforts to open the capsule with Nagito’s body failed,” Chiaki said. “And the dryer might be what does the trick… I think.” 

“Nanami is not only really kind, but really smart too! If she needs a dryer, I could certainly look for one!” Tenko said, smiling. “Even if I don’t understand why she needs it!” 

“Come to think of it, why do you need it, Nanami?” It seemed like a random request, but Kaede didn’t think it was. 

“It would be easier to show you than tell you,” Chiaki answered. She yawned again. “We don’t know how much longer we have until the trial, so I want to inspect Komaeda’s body before it’s too late.” 

“Then I’ll look for Miu, and if not that then I’ll see if there are any dryers in the girls’ rooms.” 

“Rantaro, what about you? You’ve been quiet this whole time,” Tenko said. Instead of her usual distaste for males, her expression was neutral. 

“I’m quiet because there’s a lot going on in this case. I’m hoping to figure it out soon,” Rantaro said, shrugging casually. “That way, you don’t have to overly trouble yourself.” 

“I didn’t ask to be patronized by a male,” Tenko immediately said, now eyeing Rantaro critically. “How do I know you don’t have disgusting thoughts running in your head?” 

Rantaro held up his hands affably. “Now, now, Tenko. I didn’t mean to patronize you.” 

“I’d like to learn more about your investigation so far. Amami, Akamatsu, could one of you catch me up on what you’ve done?” Chiaki asked. 

“If you don’t mind, Rantaro, could you talk with Nanami? I’d still like to see about getting her a dryer,” Kaede said. 

“Oh, then I’ll come with you!” Tenko exclaimed. “If we’re going to be inspecting the female dorm rooms, it would be best for girls to do it!” 

“I leave it in your capable hands, then.” Rantaro and Chiaki began to discuss with each other, so Kaede left the dining hall, now with Tenko behind her. 

“Kaede, I’m happy to see that you don’t seem as down on yourself as you were before,” Tenko said, as they walked to the dormitories. “Are you starting to forgive yourself?” 

“Maybe a little. Rantaro doesn’t hold what I did against me, even though he has every reason to,” Kaede said, a bittersweet smile on her face. “But I still wish I could have stopped anyone from dying.” 

“I know it’s terrible seeing this happen even when you do everything you can to stop this,” Tenko said, looking troubled. “But that doesn’t mean we can give up! We have to tear down this awful killing game, so it can’t hurt anyone else!” 

Kaede found she did feel motivated to keep pushing on. “Wow, you really know what to say sometimes, Tenko!”

Predictably, Tenko blushed, flailing her arms in front of her. “I was just rambling about the first thing that came to mind!” 

As much as Kaede would have loved to keep talking with Tenko, they’d reached the dormitories, so she gestured to Tenko to follow her inside.

Already there were Hifumi, Sayaka, and Tsumigi. “Akamatsu, it’s good to see you! And you as well, Chabashira,” Sayaka said, smiling. 

“I’d love to catch up, Maizono, but I need to ask you something. Do you know if any of the other girls have a hair dryer?” Kaede asked. 

“I don’t think so. I know it’s hard to take care of our hair right now,” Sayaka said. “But is that really what you should be worried about right now?” 

“No, that’s not why! Nanami wants a dryer for something she has in mind,” Kaede explained. “So it would be best if I could get one soon!” 

“Nanami requires aid? Then I will rush to her side as soon as possible!” Hifumi declared dramatically. 

“Oh, not you don’t! A degenerate male like you is too sketchy to be near a girl,” Tenko said, glaring at Hifumi. 

“Please don’t start this now, Tenko.” Kaede turned to Sayaka. “Could you go to Miu and ask if she can invent a dryer? I really want to know why Nanami wants one.”   
  
“I’ll try my best!” Sayaka rushed out of the dining hall, leaving only Tsumugi and Hifumi in the room. 

“Oh, before I forget, Tsumugi. You and Yamada were outside the casino when the murder happened,” Kaede said. “Could you tell me what you were doing?”

“Oh, I got a neat prize from the gacha machine! It was a sewing kit!” Tsumugi exclaimed. “So I came to my room to put it away, and Yamada accompanied me.” 

“Then that means the red capsule that Ryoma saw you with had that,” Tenko said. “Still, for a red capsule, that must mean it was a really good sewing kit.”

“For a weaver of fate such as Shirogane, only needles of the highest quality would suffice,” Hifumi said. “They are such good needles, that I have not yet laid eyes on them, for she said I would go blind!” 

That surprised Kaede. “Well, surely we can see the sewing kit right-   
****

***ding dong, bing bong* **

A nearby monitor lit up, showing Monokuma. “As the days of our youth go, so too goes the investigation time. Everyone, please gather at the red doors next to the main elevator! It’s time for the class trial!” 

“Waaahhh! I didn’t get to look into the female dorm rooms for a hair dryer!” Tenko cried out.

“Time’s up already? We didn’t even get to closely inspect the body!” As much as Kaede hated it, she begrudgingly left the dormitories, to join the procession of the rest of the students headed to the elevator. 

As all thirteen of them walked toward the red doors, everyone had thoughts to share. 

“Nagito… he was my classmate, and as such I share many memories with him,” Peko said. “I cannot say I am indifferent to his death.” 

“It’s true that I didn’t agree with him,” Ishimaru said. “But I didn’t want harm to come to Komaeda either! I wanted to convince him to take a better view of himself!” 

“There is the motive to consider,” Korekiyo said. “The Blackened that is willing to sacrifice everyone to reunite with their beloved… what beauty that must be!” 

“This is my second class trial, and I feel sick to my stomach,” Sayaka said, her face pale. “I don’t want to think of who was desperate enough to do this!”

“Hold it together, Maizono!” Miu snapped. “If you want to make it through this, use your head! I’m certainly not dying because of that whited-haired creep!” 

“Don’t speak about Nagito like that. In the end, he still had his own dreams, and feelings like anyone else,” Chiaki said firmly. “So I don’t want to let his killer get away with this!” 

“Still, this mystery seems plain difficult to solve,” Tsumugi said worriedly. “I wonder if it’s really going to be okay.” 

“Fret not, my fair lady! Between my smarts and Tanaka’s Evil Eye, there should be nothing to worry about!” Hifumi said. 

“To have to expend my evil force like this is irritating. Still, this island cannot hold me back!” Gundham exclaimed, while Ent-B sang on his shoulder. 

“I don’t know how much I can help, but I’m still going to try my hardest!” Tenko declared. 

“Surviving the class trial is only delaying things,” Rantaro muttered to himself. “We need to stop it altogether.” 

“We’ll have no choice but to suspect each other again.” Ryoma closed his eyes. “It doesn’t get any less ugly.” 

The elevator doors opened, and everyone crowded inside. As the elevator descended, Kaede had her own thoughts swirling around her head. 

_ Nagito Komaeda. He could be very difficult, and it’s hard to tell what he could be thinking. Still, he had some genuinely good insights, and he honestly seemed to have something more to him deep down. _ _   
_

_ Still, we’ll never get to see what Nagito might have become. Because with his death, it’s all been taken from him. Did someone really kill him to reunite with someone they cared about? _ _   
_

_ I can understand that… but I can’t forgive them for willing to sacrifice everyone else! So I am going to find the Blackened, and save everyone through this class trial! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up will be the collection of truth bullets, so that everyone will have the same amount of information as Kaede. After that will be the second class trial! The mystery of Nagito Komaeda's death serves as an obstacle for everyone to overcome. See you next time! Please review.


	25. Chapter 2 Trial Prep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me and the team have been putting together the chapters for the trial, and we are now ready to deliver it to the audience! But first, this is the collection of Truth Bullets collected, so everyone can refresh themselves on what happened.

**Truth Bullets**

  * **Monokuma File #2**: “The victim is Nagito Komaeda, the Ultimate Lucky Student. The body was found on the first floor of the Kismet Island casino. His cause of death is a stab to the chest with a knife. No other injuries noted.” 
  * **Gacha Machine Rates: **According to Monokuma, common prizes appear at a 50 percent rate, uncommon prizes at 35 percent, and rare prizes at 15 percent. This was later confirmed by Miu. 
  * **Kitchen Knife**: The murder weapon, a common knife from the dining hall. Kaede remembers Nagito leaving the dining hall the day before the murder.
  * **Golden Capsule**: A gacha capsule with a shining gold lid Nagito’s body was found in. Has been sealed shut by mysterious means. The capsule is likely from the storage closest where other empty capsules are kept. 
  * ** Casino Rule:** A rule that Monokuma added that declares all cheating in Kismet Island casino as illegal. 
  * **Service Hatch**: A hatch located on the back of the gacha machine accessed on the second floor. Revealed to go into the prize chamber. 
  * **Bloodstain**: A bloodstain found on the carpet of the second floor landing. Someone has drawn an arrow in the blood pointed towards the entertainment hall, as well a pattern that has been erased. The blood is dry. 
  * **White Cloth**: a white cloth found tied to the second floor railing. Has a tear that’s half jagged, half smooth. The cloth also has a red line that is not blood, but part of the fabric. 
  * **Gundham’s Account**: He and Korekiyo were in the entertainment hall at around the time of the murder, but both deny being the culprit. Gundham claims they were investigating the hall itself. 
  * **Empty Area**: An area of casino obscured by the gacha machine pointed out by Miu. There is nothing special about it at first glance. 
  * **Suspicious Conversation**: The day before the murder, Peko discussed a murder plan with Nagito, before changing her mind at the last second. 
  * Ryoma’s Account: Ryoma spotted Tsumugi taking a red capsule with her outside the casino, but did not see what was inside. 
  * **Sighting of Nagito: **Ishimaru and Kaede spotted Nagito going to the second floor at around two in the afternoon. This is shortly before his body was discovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next time we meet will be the trial. As last time, the readers have an opportunity to vote for the Blackened, and that will affect the story itself. Keep you eyes peeled on the discussion that follow, and I await the conclusions you'll arrive at. See you next time! Please review.


	26. Chapter 2, Trial I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The trial into the death of Nagito Komaeda begins. With so many unclear points in this murder, it will be an uphill battle to figure out what exactly can be trusted, and who. Enjoy, my readers!

When the elevator opened into the trial ground, everyone noticed that the interior had changed to look like the casino they’d just come from. The other addition to the trial room were two more portraits: One for Junko, with Monokuma’s jagged red eye over her face, and one for Nagito, with a four leaf clover over his face. 

As everyone took their places behind their trial podiums, Kaede couldn’t take her eyes off the portraits. Three of them were dead, and one other person would be joining them soon. 

_ But it’s either the Blackened, or all of us. There is no happy ending to this trial, but we can at least grasp the best that we can get!  _

**TRIAL START **

“It’s time to review the rules of the class trial,” Monokuma said from his throne. “During the trial, you’ll debate on who the Blackened is. If you correctly vote for the Blackened, then only they will be punished! But if you vote for the wrong person, then everyone else will get punished! And the victorious Blackened will reunite with the most important person in their life!”    


Monokuma pumped a mechanical paw in the air. “Now let’s begin this grand class trial!” 

Chiaki immediately took the lead, saying, “Let’s establish the basic facts of the Nagito’s murder, and see where that takes us. What was the weapon used to kill him?”    
  
“Nanamini, why are you asking something so fucking obvious?” Miu asked. “He got shish-kabobed by a knife! 

_ I think what Nanami is implying is that the kind of knife it is matters.  _

“It was a kitchen knife, from the dining hall,” Kaede said. “I believe Nanami and Tenko looked into it, and I confirmed it with Rantaro later.”    


“In other words, we need to figure out who took that knife from the dining hall,” Hifumi said. He pointed dramatically at Sayaka. “Why don’t we ask our resident expert on kitchen knives? Well, Sayaka?”    


“Wait, why are you asking me?” Sayaka said, nervously clutching on her skirt.    


“Because you did try to murder someone with a kitchen knife before,” Hifumi said. “I suppose if anyone would know what the Blackened might be thinking, it would be you…”    


Kaede felt a wave of utter disgust and contempt, and looked over to see it was coming from Tenko.

“...You’ve officially lost your talking privileges, Yamada. Permanently.” Tenko said.    


“Eeeeek! Don’t kill me!” Hifumi cried out. “Shouldn’t that be against the rules?!”    


Monokuma tilted his head. “You know, there’s never been a death during a class trial before. I’m tempted to let this play out.” 

“I’m not going to kill Yamada!” Tenko exclaimed. “Just Neo Aikido his face so that he can’t talk anymore!” 

“That’s not much better!” Hifumi said, hands clasped in front of him in desperate prayer.    


“...I think Tenko’s holding a grudge from the time he accused her of murder,” Rantaro said dryly. 

“Th-that’s enough!” Ishimaru cut in. “We can’t fight with each other! As long as we don’t find the Blackened, we’re all in trouble of dying!”    


“...If you’re sure, Ishimaru,” Tenko said, even as she still glared at Hifumi.    


“Getting the debate back on track, we know that the knife came from the dining hall,” Rantaro said. “Do we know who might have taken it?”    


“I’m sure many people went into the dining hall at some point,” Sayaka said, still shaken. “But anyone could have smuggled a knife out.”    


“...”  _ What I saw with Komaeda happened yesterday. I won’t bring it up until I have a good reason.  _ _   
_

“It does seem like it would be hard to prove that, at least right now,” Rantaro said. “Then it would be best to move on. What do we know about the circumstances behind the body discovery?”   


“Komaeda was inside a large capsule from the gacha machine,” Korekiyo said. “He landed in front of us like the world’s most morbid prize.” 

“Don’t say things like that and sound like you enjoy it,” Sayaka said faintly. “But how did Komaeda even end up inside the gacha machine to begin with?” 

“That’s what we’ll discuss next, then!” Ishimaru declared. 

**Nonstop debate**

**Truth Bullets: Monokuma File #2, Service Hatch, Bloodstain, Suspicious Conversation **

Miu: "It’s obvious! The Blackened pushed the capsule with Komaeda in it  _ directly into the machine!  _ I’m a fucking genius!" 

Ishimaru: “But how did the Blackened do that? Did they  _ use the hole on the ground level  _ to do it?" 

Rantaro: "Doing that would mean pushing upwards, which would be difficult, if not impossible." 

Hifumi: "Perhaps the killer  **made a hole in the gacha machine. ** That would solve the problem!"    
  
Sayaka: "Something about this entire conversation is making me uncomfortable." 

Kaede agreed with Sayaka, but also decided not to think too deeply into it.  _ We shouldn’t over-complicate this. If there is a simple way for Komaeda’s body to get into the gacha machine, I should point it out.  _

**“I AGREE WITH THAT!”**

* * *

“Miu is right. The Blackened could have pushed a prize ball into the gacha machine easily,” Kaede said. “There was a hatch in the back of it for that very purpose.” 

“Of course I’m right! As an inventor, no machine can evade my eyes!” Miu declared.    


“Wait a second. So that means you can return prizes? Why would anyone want to do that?” Tenko asked.    


“I’ll answer this question!” Monokuma exclaimed. “It’s because the prize you get is entirely random! So if you get something you don’t like, you can always return it, and try your luck again!” 

Ryoma shook his head. “I suppose as long as you have credits, nothing stops you from trying again. Which is how the casino sucks people in until they have nothing left.”   


“That’s the reality of the casino! It lets you indulge in every sinful desire you want,” Monokuma said. “But it’s your own fault if something bad happens to you!”    


“Anyways, I think we can assume that Komaeda’s killer put his body into a prize capsule, so it could be pushed into the gacha machine after,” Kaede said. “I guess because they wanted to hide the body.”    


“That is likely, yes. But we need to consider why the killer chose to do what they did,” Chiaki said. “They went to a lot of effort for a reason… I think.” 

“I suppose the Blackened didn’t want anyone to find the body,” Peko said thoughtfully. “So they put it in the most inaccessible place they could think of.”    


“But wait, wouldn’t that actually make the gacha machine a plain risky place to put the body?” Tsumugi asked. “We have been using it everyday since the casino opened. So the killer should know that the body could have been found at any time!” 

“Then maybe we should take a step back and consider the circumstances before the murder,” Rantaro said. “Who was in the casino before the body was discovered?”    


“Me and the fair Miss Shirogane were not in the casino,” Hifumi said. “We were in the dormitories when the body discovery announcement went off!” 

“I think Pekoyama, Nanami, Miu, and me were all on the east side of the casino,” Tenko said, her face screwed up in concentration. “Maizono and Ryoma were near the gacha machine.”    


“I was with Ishimaru on the west side,” Rantaro said, intensely focused as well. “And I don’t believe I remember anyone going upstairs. Well, except for...”   


Gundham was sweating profusely. “Do not dare raise your insolent eyes at me! Even for as much as Nagito could be infuriating, he is not worth my time!”    


Korekiyo chuckled. “Ke heh heh. Tanaka, if you are petitioning for your own innocence, you certainly have a strange way of going about it.”    


“We can’t fall into the trap of just going in circles,” Kaede said urgently. “I’m sorry to say this, but there is implicating evidence against you.”    


_ The evidence that Korekiyo even called me naive for sharing with him. But now, he should hopefully understand why I did it.  _

**“I GET IT!” **

“On the second floor landing, there is a bloodstain,” Kaede explained. “It has to belong to Komaeda, which means he was killed there.”    


“But that would mean the crime happened right when everyone was in the casino!” Sayaka gasped. “How did no one see it happen?!” 

“That’s where we get into the important part of the bloodstain,” Kaede continued. “Someone drew an arrow in the blood, pointing to the entertainment hall. Where Tanaka and Kiyo were right before the murder.”    


“As I believed, we are under suspicion for the murder,” Korekiyo said, unphased. “To be suspected so genuinely… it’s an uniquely awful feeling.” 

“Ugh, you sound like a total creepazoid,” Miu said, shuddering. “Come to think of it, how the fuck did you end up here? Were you a Blackened, or a victim?” 

“So either my life came to an end at the hand of another, or I took the life of another,” Korekiyo said, chuckling again. “Both possibilities are intriguing.”   


“We don’t have time to get sidetracked by these memory issues,” Peko interrupted. “We need to figure out if Gundham or Shinguji could be the Blackened.”   


_ I do know of a possible answer to this. But where is this going to take us?  _

**Nonstop Debate **

**Truth Bullets: Bloodstain, White Cloth, Gundham’s Account, Monokuma File #2**

Gundham: I was not responsible for extinguishing the life of Nagito!

Korekiyo: I am also innocent of this crime. However, I understand why you would suspect us, given the evidence.    


Sayaka: “If you are innocent, aren’t you going to argue against it? If you don’t, then we can only think  **one of you is the culprit. **

Ryoma: Only one of you would have to  **leave the hall ** to commit the murder. 

Kaede couldn’t help but sigh at the spectacle.  _ They’re so focused on the fact that they’ve been accused that they forgot about their own alibi. I guess I have to remind them.  _

**“NO, THAT’S WRONG!”**

* * *

“In fact, neither of them left the entertainment hall,” Kaede said. “Gundham told me himself, during the investigation.”    


“Well done, maiden of the siren keys! The Overlord of Ice will repay you one day!” Gundham exclaimed. “It is as she says: I stayed with this cursed scholar until the bell that signified Nagito’s death knell tolled.” 

“So I am a cursed scholar? Interesting,” Korekiyo said, amused. “Regardless, he speaks true. We are not aware of what happened outside of the entertainment hall.”    


“That’s not possible! Are you really claiming that a murder happened a few feet away from you and you didn’t notice?” Tenko asked incredulously. 

“It’s possible the walls were soundproofed, similar to Momota’s case,” Peko pointed out. “But this presents us with another problem. If this testimony holds true, then we have no suspect for this murder.” 

“That’s only if it holds true! As far as I remember, no one went up the stairs except for Komaeda, Tanaka, and Kiyo,” Tenko said. “So then, who else could have been the killer?” 

“True, it seems like they could be the only ones. But we still don’t have a complete picture,” Chiaki said. “In a dungeon crawling game, you need to make sure to have every square filled.”    


“Oh, but watch out for wandering FOEs!” Tsumugi added enthusiastically.    


“Video game babble isn’t going to do anything, Nanamini!” Miu cut in. “Mr. Fifth Grade Syndrome and the creepazoid are still suspect!”    


As this was happening around her, Kaede considered the situation.  _ If no one else went up the stairs, maybe we should think about this from another angle.  _

“Okay, then did anyone see either Tanaka or Kiyo carrying the capsule that Komaeda’s body was found in?” Kaede asked. 

Judging by the way Tenko instantly went pale, Kaede knew the answer was no.    


“I don’t imagine the Blackened would want to be caught carrying something so incriminating,” Rantaro said. “But the overall point is valid.”    


“There’s something else that doesn’t make sense,” Chiaki said, tugging on her hoodie. “And I’d like to bring it up to everyone.” 

“Sure, Nanami! Say whatever you want!” Kaede said.  _ Because the more we straighten out about this case, the closer we get to the killer!  _

**Nonstop Debate **

**Truth Bullets: Golden Capsule, Ryoma’s Account, Kitchen Knife, Gacha Prize Rates **

Chiaki: “At any point before the body discovery, did anyone go down the stairs from the second floor?” 

Ishimaru: “Nagito certainly  **didn’t go downstairs** , because the bloodstain indicates that he died on the second floor landing. How terrible!” 

Rantaro: “If neither Tanaka or Kiyo left the entertainment hall, then  **neither of them could have gone downstairs** either.    


Peko: “Just because they weren’t seen carrying the capsule upstairs, doesn’t mean they aren’t still suspects. Not being able to go downstairs  **wouldn’t clear them** .” 

_ Okay, I think I see what Nanami is driving at. Once I show the evidence that supports her point, we should hopefully get a breakthrough in this case!  _

**“NO, THAT’S WRONG!”**

* * *

“Pekoyama, you need to remember where the empty capsules are stored,” Kaede said. “They’re in a storage capsule on the first floor, on the west side of the casino.”    


“In other words, this would include the golden one. I understand your reasoning, Akamatsu,” Peko said. “If neither Gundham or Shinguji went downstairs, they’d have no way to access the capsule. However, this rests on an unproven assumption.” 

Peko focused her attention on Kaede, and the pianist shuddered from the warrior’s aura emanating from her. 

“It’s also possible that either of them could have grabbed the golden capsule ahead of time, then hidden it somewhere in the entertainment hall,” Peko continued. “The other person in the room would not need to be aware of it.” 

To Kaede’s surprise, it was Sayaka that spoke up. “If I may, I have something to say about the entertainment hall. I’ve spent more time there than anyone.”    


“Your performance the other day was amazing!” Tenko exclaimed cheerfully. “You definitely have a soothing, beautiful voice!”    


Sayaka smiled, pink tinting her cheeks. “Thanks, Chabashira. But what I wanted to bring up is related to the case. I don’t think there’s anywhere in the hall that can hide something as big as a prize capsule.”    


Kaede recalled the hall as best as she could. “You can’t hide anything in the stage area. Not under the piano either.”  She  stuttered upon saying “piano”, but she pushed through. “I don’t suppose you could put the capsule under the seats of the theater section?” 

Sayaka shook her head. “The prize capsules are almost as big as a person. No matter where you put it, it would stick out. Especially with the shining gold lid.”    


“In other words, there is no way the killer could have hid the capsule ahead of time,” Peko conceded. “It looks like Gundham and Shinguji truly can’t be the Blackened.”    


“Still, we established something very important! The Blackened had to have grabbed the prize capsule from downstairs after killing Nagito!” Tenko declared.    


“Which also means that same criminal attempted to paint the blame onto myself and Tanaka,” Korekiyo said, anger seeping out of his tone. “How bold of them.” 

Rantaro tapped his head. “Which brings us to a key part of this case. Why did the Blackned choose the second floor landing to commit the crime?”   


“One can only presume that it was part of their plan,” Ishimaru said. “The killer wanted to blame Tanaka and Shinguji, so they killed Nagito on the landing, then hid his body inside the gacha machine!”    


“That plan seems like it has a lot of risks. I mean, we discussed earlier that you’d be committing a murder with people close by,” Kaede said. “And as Tsumugi mentioned, hiding the body in the gacha machine means it could still be found, which it was.” 

“We’ve been arguing under the assumption that the Blackened planned for the murder to play out like this,” Rantaro said. “However, it’s possible that we’ve had it backwards. The circumstances of the murder forced the killer’s actions.”    


“What does that even mean?” Tenko asked, confused.    


“What it means is that we discuss if the murder was premeditated,” Chiaki said. “Once we do, we do, we will get closer to solving this case… I think.”   


_ The murder might not have been planned? It would explain the weird points so far. But I have this bad feeling that there’s something we’re missing. I only wish I could figure out what it is.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is now a basic foundation to figure out further contradictions. How much of Kaede's methods do you agree with? Do you believe she is going on the right direction? The struggle will continue soon. Also, I have changed aspects of this trial based on previous feedback, so please let me know if you like the changes. See you next time! Please review.


	27. Chapter 2, Trial II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The trial continues. We are still in the stage of establishing the basic facts of the murder. Keep on your toes in the debates that follow. Also: This trial has a new version of the Mass Panic Debate, so tell me if you like it. Enjoy, my readers!

“The issue we have before us is figuring out if the murder was premediated or not,” Rantaro said. “I’m open to suggestions on the best way to figure it out.” 

“It seems like a question we haven’t been able to answer is why the Blackened decided to put Nagito’s body in the gacha machine,” Chiaki said. “Let’s try and think like them- what benefit would they get from doing this?”    


“Perhaps the killer wanted to be able to control when the body would appear,” Hifumi suggested, rubbing his chin. “How else would you explain how it appeared before everyone?”    


“It definitely made for a powerful moment of shock for everyone else,” Korekiyo said. “If that was the killer’s intention, they succeeded.”    


_ Did Nagito’s killer want the body to appear before everyone at a certain time? I feel like that isn’t right.  _

As Kaede considered the idea, she realized there was evidence that pointed in a different direction. 

**“This Is It!” ** ****

“If the killer wanted the body to appear at a certain time, then why did they choose the golden capsule?” Kaede asked. “That seems to point more to the killer wanting to keep the body hidden.”    


“But that damned mechanism had the smallest chance to spit out any of the prize capsules!” Gundham pointed out.    


“Then it may be worth discussing the exact nature of the gacha machine,” Peko said. “To clear this up once and for all.” 

_ It looks like we’re going to discuss a new angle of this murder. I need to be ready for anything! _

**Nonstop Debate**

**Truth Bullets: Monokuma File #2, White Cloth, Gacha Machine Rates, Ryoma’s Account **

Gundham: The killer plotted to demonstrate  **their twisted crime ** in front of everyone, to frighten them into making a mistake!    


Tsumugi: “Then do you think they wanted to make the body appear  **when everyone was in the casino? ** I guess that would be effective. 

Hifumi: “Even the gold capsule would  **appear often,** so the killer could count on the gacha machine to let the body out.    


Gundham: “Fwahahaha! Tremble before the might of the Tanaka Empire! You  **cannot hope to win!”**

Kaede wasn’t sure if she wanted to even bother trying to decipher all the incomprehensible babble she’d just heard.  _ I guess the best thing to do is make sure we’re all on the same page about the gacha prizes.  _

**“NO, THAT’S WRONG!”**

* * *

“According to Monokuma, the rarest prizes only appear at a rate of fifteen percent,” Kaede explained. “And Miu confirmed that later, by looking at the innards with her Mobile Voyeur.”    


“I probed that machine very thoroughly, so there’s no mistake about it,” Miu said, looking a little too excited at her own words. “That baby isn’t going to put out unless she wants to!” 

“Um… Miu’s  unique description aside, if the killer wanted to reveal the body, why  leave it to chance by using a rare prize capsule?” Kaede asked.    


“Kaede, you’re assuming that the killer would know about the exact prize rates,” Rantaro pointed out. “Monokuma only told everyone after Nanami asked.”    


“No, I’m not saying the killer had to know the exact numbers! But most people would assume that the rarest prize would almost never show up,” Kaede said. “I used the prize rates to make a point.” 

“Unless Komaeda’s killer knew ahead of time exactly how the machine worked,” Hifumi said. “Which would make them none other than the lovely Miss Iruma.”    


“Complimenting me isn’t going to change the fact that you’re fucking me over!” Miu snapped. “A tub of lard like you has no right to speak to me like that!”    


“Calm down, Miu. I’m sure if we talk this over we can-” 

**“I am the Alpha and the Omega!”**

* * *

“Ho ho ho, it seems we must do battle, Miss Akamatsu,” Hifumi said, breathing heavily. “I hope there’s no hard feelings about it.”    


_ I won’t hold any hard feelings about it if you stop being such a creep.  _

**Rebuttal Showdown**

“Miss Iruma’s talent is being the Ultimate Inventor,”

“So she probably knows her way around machines”.

“So Miu would **have the knowledge **the killer needed.”

Kaede: “But Miu only looked inside the gacha machine during the investigation. Besides which, she has no motive to want to kill Nagito!” 

“That’s exactly what Miss Iruma wants us to think!” 

“But that’s why she  **rigged the gacha machine ** before the murder!”

“She could make Komaeda’s body appear whenever she wanted!”

_ Hifumi’s theory is based on a certain foundation. I have to be the one to take down that foundation to prove him wrong!  _

**“I’LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!”**

* * *

“It’s impossible for Miu to have rigged the machine,” Kaede explained. “It’s against one of the temporary rules: you can’t cheat any of the casino games.”    


“Yeah, I’m not going to throw away my life by breaking one of the rules!” Miu yelled.    


“But that’s only if using the gacha machine as part of a murder counts as cheating,” Hifumi said. “It’s not like Iruma was trying to win a prize.” 

“But that’s exactly what Iruma would have to do,” Sayaka said. “You’re saying she rigged for the prize with Komaeda’s body, but that should still be cheating.”

“Thaaaaat’s right! Forcing any of the casino games to give you the prize you want is a big no no!” Monokuma declared. “If it had happened, a loud alarm would have blared, and I would have punished the cheater by tearing them apart with my Exisal!” 

“Not even the scuzziest casinos would have a punishment that harsh for cheating,” Tsumugi said weakly, her face pale. 

“Wait, I’m confused. We started this discussion to find out if the murder had been planned,” Tenko said. “If the gacha machine is so risky, why did the killer use it?”

“They may have not had another choice,” Rantaro said, his arms crossed. “The murder happened on the second floor landing. I imagine the killer didn’t have any other options to hide the body.”

“So they picked the rarest prize capsule to make sure the body would remain hidden,” Peko said thoughtfully. “Logically, that theory is sound.” 

“That still doesn’t explain why Nagito’s body showed up when it did!” Ishimaru shouted. “How did that fit into the killer’s plan?!” 

“...Perhaps that’s the entire problem. It doesn’t fit into a ‘plan’ because there is none,” Ryoma said. “Komaeda’s body appeared by total coincidence.” 

“Is that even possible?” Hifumi asked, looking dubiously at Ryoma. “What are the odds that the body would appear right after the murder?” 

“If this were about anyone else, I would dismiss that coincidence as too improbable,” Peko said. “But Nagito’s luck always worked in unknowable ways. It would not surprise me if his luck worked in such a way to throw any plan his killer had out the window.”

“We have Komaeda’s original killer with us,” Korekiyo said, looking at Chiaki curiously. “Well, Nanami? How did he try to stop your plan?”    


Chiaki pulled her hoodie over her head, as if to hide herself. “Actually, Nagito’s entire plan was for me to kill him, and get away with it. But I didn’t want that, so I gave myself up.”    


“Komaeda wanted to die that badly? I don’t know if I should feel sorry for him, or terrified of him!” Tenko exclaimed, alarmed. 

“Damnation!” Gundham shouted, startling Ent-B on his shoulder. “Then Nagito has left us with an even worse dilemma than the killer!” 

“I find myself becoming irritated as well,” Korekiyo said, anger seeping into this tone. “We’re left without a lead to figure out this case, which means we’re that much closer to our end.” 

_ I really don’t like where this is going.  _ “There has to be a lead! We do have clues to-”    


“Then we’re all going to die? I don’t want to die!” Tsumugi cried out, cutting off Kaede. “The killer should just confess already!” 

_ Uh oh. Everyone’s becoming too loud. I need to focus my hearing and pick out the best hope to keep going.  _

**Mass Panic Debate **

**Truth Bullets: Monokuma File #2, Kitchen Knife, Gundham’s Account, Gold Capsule. **

Tsumugi: “Have we really not figured anything out? I don’t want to die!”    


Gundham:  “NAGITO WILL RUE HIS INTERFERENCE FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE!”

Korekiyo: “for this conversation to continue, we need to find a lead.” 

Tenko: I DON’T THINK KOMAEDA DID ANY OF THIS ON PURPOSE! HE’S DEAD!”

Ishimaru: “But we’re still stuck with a case  **that has no suspect!” **

Chiaki: “First, we have to take a deep breath and consider some basic facts.”

Ishimaru:  “WHAT FACTS ARE THERE LEFT TO CONSIDER AT THIS POINT?!”

Chiaki: w e don’t know who took the knife. it could have been  _ someone besides the killer _ .

Korekiyo: “Alas, it looks like there’s no way to prove it. 

Kaede winced as her ears took in all this chaos.  _ Some voices are drowning out others. But if I focus on the quiet voices, I could notice something important.  _

As she listened carefully to the cacophony, she heard something crucial.  _ What I witnessed… the time has come to talk about it.” _

**“I CAN HEAR IT!”**

* * *

“We should consider Nanami’s point,” Kaede said carefully. “Just because the killer used the knife on Komaeda, doesn’t mean they took it.”

“How does that help us figure out who took the knife?” Miu asked incredulously. 

“Because yesterday, I saw Komaeda. He had just come out of the dining hall,” Kaede explained. “And he headed to the casino after that. Given that he ended up dead the next morning, I don’t think that’s an accident.” 

“Then you’re saying that Komaeda wanted to kill someone?” Sayaka looked as pale as a sheet. “And he was killed instead by his victim?”    


“It would certainly explain a lot of the inconsistencies in this case so far,” Rantaro said. “The reason the Blackened’s actions seem so haphazard is because they didn’t plan to kill.” 

“And that means that the killer didn’t pick the second floor landing- Komadea did,” Korekiyo added. “He likely cornered them there, and that’s when he tried to attack them.”    


“It hasn’t been proven yet that Nagito took the knife that killed him.” For some reason, Chiaki looked intensely troubled. “Although, I can’t deny it’s a possibility…” 

“Don’t get ahead of yourselves! Nanamini, you have a long way to go before you catch up to me!” Miu declared arrogantly. “There’s a hole in Kaediot’s theory!” 

“Okay, tell me what it is,” Kaede said evenly. “And we’ll see if your theory holds.”    


“You said that you saw that limpdick yesterday. But he didn’t die until the next day!” Miu exclaimed. “So how do you explain such a big time gap?”    


“Urgh…”  _ At the end of the day, Miu is genuinely very intelligent. I can’t bring anything but my best!  _ “Maybe I can’t explain that time gap yet. But I did notice something else very weird.”    


_ An aspect of the evidence that I did find strange at the time.  _

**“I GET IT!” **

“We talked about the bloodstain on the second floor landing,” Kaede said. “But something we haven’t considered is that the blood is dry, to the point where you almost can’t even see it against the floor.” 

“I think I remember that time did pass between Komaeda going up the stairs and his body being discovered,” Sayaka said. “Maybe it could have been enough time for his blood to dry?”    


“That was only a few minutes, though,” Kaede said. “That doesn’t seem like enough time for it to completely dry.”    


“Pekoyama, you look like you have something on your mind!” Tenko suddenly said. “What is it?”    


Peko’s eyes widened briefly from being addressed, but  she  regained her stoic demeanor. “If the blood was completely dried as Akamatsu describes, then the murder had to have occurred at least several hours before we found the body.” 

“But I saw Komaeda go up to the second floor a few minutes before the body was discovered!” Ishimaru cut in. “That doesn’t make any sense!”    


“A lot about this case doesn’t make sense!” Kaede pointed out. “Even after all this time discussing, we keep hitting a wall!” 

“Then what is your interpretation of what happened, Kaede?” Rantaro asked, pinning her with a serious expression. “If you brought up the dried bloodstain, it must have been for a reason.” 

“...You’re right, Rantaro. I do have my suspicions.”  _ Not of the killer, not yet. But I have an idea of why we keep getting stuck. What I’m about to suggest is totally crazy, but… there’s nowhere to go but forward! _

“If you consider that, and Komaeda coming out of the dining hall yesterday, then it could be possible… that the murder actually happened at some point yesterday!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are readers that may have already suspected the true time of death. Yet even knowing this, can you say you know exactly how the crime went down? It may surprise you. See you next time! Please review.


	28. Chapter 2, Trial III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leaping directly into a new angle of this case! With minimal information and an uncooperative courtroom, Kaede will try to figure out if the murder happened a different time. What will the audience figure out with her? Enjoy, my readers!

Kaede’s declaration was followed by a heavy silence as the rest of the courtroom processed her claim. 

“Oh my! Everyone is looking at you like you should be committed to a funny farm,” Monokuma said unhelpfully. “Maybe you need to lie down?”

Kaede did her best to ignore the taunting words, and pressed on: “Well, what else are we supposed to make of what we’ve found? It’s clear that this didn’t play out the way that we think it did!”

“Wait a second, Akamatsu! We saw Komaeda!” Ishimaru exclaimed. “We even spoke for him for a little bit!” 

“I know, Taka. I remember that too. But that’s exactly what isn’t adding up!” Kaede shouted. “Komaeda’s blood is at least several hours old. So how could that be?”    


“Do you know for a fact that the blood found on the second floor landing belongs to the victim?” Korekiyo asked. “Far be it for me to question this point, but this is only an assumption on our part.” 

“Who else could the blood belong to? The size of the stain is too big for someone else to have gotten hurt,” Sayaka said. “So I can’t imagine it happened another way. But what I’d like to know is how no one saw the blood if it’s dry.”

“But if Komaeda himself was personally seen going up the stairs, then he could have only died after that,” Hifumi said nervously. “Maybe the blood was forged somehow?”

“If that were possible, you’d have to provide evidence of how such a feat was pulled off,” Korekiyo said. “You can do that, can you?”   


Hifumi gulped, withering under Korekiyo’s chilly glare.    


“There is definitely too much that’s weird about this case!” Tenko exclaimed. “I think we should at least discuss the possibilty that the murder happened yesterday!”

“But if this turns out to be yet another dead end, we will truly be in a corner!” Gundham said. “Are you ready to accept responsibility for that?” 

“Gundham, we have to be on the same page,” Chiaki said. “Otherwise-” 

**“HOLD ON!” **

“We interrupt this class trial to bring you… another deadlock!” Monokuma declared. “There’s only one way to solve this. The Grand Killing Game presents: the world famous, award winning, morphological trial ground!”    


“Another scrum debate, then.” Chiaki said, looking around as the podiums began to rise. “Akamatsu, can we count on you to lead our side?”    


“I’ll try my best!”  _ I know the idea that the murder happened yesterday seems crazy. But we can’t back down!  _

**Scrum Debate**

**Topic: When did the murder happen? ** ****

**It happened yesterday!**

**Kaede**

**Rantaro**

**Korekiyo**

**Peko**

**Chiaki**

**Tenko**

**It happened this morning!**

**Ishimaru**

**Sayaka**

**Ryoma**

**Hifumi**

**Miu**

**Gundham**

**Tsumugi**

**Start!**

Sayaka: “How did no one find the bloodstain where Komaeda died?”

“The bloodstain was dry enough to be hard to see.”: Peko

Gundham: “Yet how do you explain the appearance of Nagito’s corpse?” 

“The body’s appearance has no bearing on the time of the murder.”: Chiaki

Hifumi: “We haven’t heard anything about the murder happening yesterday.”

“All the more reason to discuss yesterday, wouldn’t you say?”: Rantaro

Tsumugi: “We don’t know that Komaeda left with the knife that killed him.” 

“It’s possible that the victim indeed took the knife, and thus worth discussing.”: Korekiyo

Ishimaru: “You still haven’t explained seeing Komaeda going up the stairs!” 

“We saw Komaeda at an impossible time, so there has to be a trick to it!”: Kaede

**“THIS IS OUR ANSWER!”**

* * *

“A trick? Are you saying that something you saw with your own eyes is a trick?” Miu asked. “How does that work, Kaeidiot?” 

“Well, if it was a trick, then the Blackened must have planned for someone to see Komaeda at that time,” Kaede said. “Probably because-”    


“It looks like we’ve all agreed to discuss what happened last night,” Tsumugi interrupted. “Does anyone remember what they did?”    


“I recall my actions clearly. I was engaging in my pillage of the casino’s easten domain!” Gundham bragged. “To earn needed sustenance for Ent-B!” 

“I joined Tanaka in his endeavor,” Hifumi added. “We spent all our time before the nighttime bell focused on cleaning out the casino games!” 

“And I was there too! Though, I’m so plain I think I faded into the background during the quest,” Tsumugi said. “Still, I was glad to help!”    


“I was playing games with Iruma and Akamatsu in the entertainment hall,” Chiaki said. The gamer sighed morosely. “It was an enjoyable memory, at least until this murder happened.” 

“Me and Miu did leave, though. You were by yourself,” Kaede said, recalling that night. “What happened after that?” 

“I played games on my own for a while. After that...” Chiaki was silent for a long stretch of time, before her eyes suddenly widened. “Nagito!” 

“What about him? Did you remember something?” Tenko asked.    


“I did. He came into the entertainment hall,” Chaiki said. “He asked me to leave the place. When I asked him why, he told me he wanted to have some time alone.”    


“And you just believed him? Are you brain dead, Nanmini?” Miu asked incredulously. 

“I did press him for more details. And Nagito told me…”

* * *

_ “Chiaki. You’ve always been splendid, the way you believe in everyone,” Nagito said. “You are the one that is fit to inspire hope as a leader. I will inspire hope from my place in the shadows.”  _ _   
_

_ “Nagito, that doesn’t actually answer my question about why you want me to leave,” Chiaki said, frowning at her classmate. “I don’t want to suspect you of anything, but knowing you…”  _

_ “Of course you’d doubt a failure like me,” Nagito said, far too cheerfully. “But rest assured. I only want to inspire some hope with the piano.” _

_ “The piano?” Chiaki looked over to the instrument that sat untouched in the middle of the room. “I didn’t know you knew how to play.”  _ _   
_

_ “I don’t. But I’d like to make sure the piano is in working shape. Kaede is the Ultimate Pianist, yet she hasn’t let that talent shine at all!” Nagito exclaimed. “I want to help in what little way I can.”  _ _   
_

_ “I want to trust you, Nagito. I really do…” A part of Chiaki wanted to keep pressing the issue.  _ _   
_

_ “Tell you what- leave me alone for thirty minutes,” Nagito said. “And if I don’t come back, send someone here to get me.”  _ _   
_

_ “You sound like you’re expecting something to happen,” Chiaki said, alarm bells going off in her head. “Is there something you’re not telling me, Nagito?” _

_ “It’s a killing game. Anything can happen. But I promise you- I am not planning a murder,” Nagito said. He started to laugh. “After all, I still haven’t seen the true hope that this group is capable of!” _

* * *

“Nagito was always rambling about this ethereal ‘hope’ that only he could see,” Gundham said. “And his actions always seemed to follow it. Yet, what did the piano have to do with it?”    


“I guess we’ll never know,” Chiaki said sadly. “After thirty minutes, I asked Ishimaru to call out for him. And Nagito did respond from the second floor, so I thought he was okay…”    


“He did! Nagito called out ‘I am doing well! Do not worry about me!’ He was definitely alive at that time!” Ishimaru reported. 

**Chiaki and Nagito’s Arrangement added to the Truth Bullets**

“But Nagito was on the second floor landing, and by himself,” Kaede said. “If someone else went there as well, they could have killed him, and no one would know!”    


“This actually resolves one of the case’s biggest contradictions. Yesterday, it sounds like very few people were in the casino, and Komaeda was completely alone on the second floor,” Rantaro said, tapping his head. “In those conditions, I think the murder is much more feasible.”    


“Oh, I remember that you told me something!” Tsumugi said to Ishimaru. “You said that you saw someone talking with Komaeda yesterday.” 

“I did! At the time, it didn’t seem like much, but…” Ishimaru hesitated, before shooting Peko a guilty expression. “It was you, Pekoyama.”    


“...!”  _ Pekoyama told me about this. It was the conversation when they were discussing a potential murder plan. Komaeda called Taka over, so he must have seen the tail end of that.  _

“I see. So what kind of conversation would you say they had?” Chiaki asked neutrally. 

“Well, Komaeda didn’t look any different than he usually did,” Ishimaru continued. “But Pekoyama… she seemed almost nervous. Like I  was seeing  something I wasn’t supposed to.”    


“From a girl as stony as her, almost nervous is probably desperately frantatic for most people,” Tsumugi said. “Like how seeing the Female Titan smile is what indicates her downfall!”

With suspicion suddenly falling on her shoulders, Peko crossed her arms, averting her eyes from everyone.    


“Scarlet-eyed ronin… you truly do not value your life, do you?” Gundham asked, looking at Peko with contempt.   


“If this is really going where I think it is, it would be disappointing,” Chiaki said quietly. “Do you have any defense for yourself?”    


Peko didn’t answer, now scratching at her neck. The collar of her shirt moved slightly, and Kaede caught a glint of gold.    


_ She’s wearing some kind of gold necklace. I saw that back when we first met…  _

“If I had stopped Pekoyama, would Komaeda still be alive? If she’s the killer, then we have to vote for her!” Ishimaru shouted.    


“This trial has now become your last stand!” Hifumi declared. “So if you’re going do-” 

“So no one is going to say it? Not even her own classmates?”    


Tenko’s voice cut through the trial room, and her expression was filled with determination. 

“Then I will- Peko is innocent!” A moment after her declaration, Tenko’s cheeks went pink. “Wait, I think I got carried away there…”    


“Tenko.” Peko’s face had the most emotion it had even shown up to this point, and she looked at Tenko with open wonder. “You genuinely believe that without reservation. Why?”

“Because you’ve been helping to solve this case, like everyone else!” Tenko exclaimed. “And there is nothing at all pointing to you being Komaeda’s killer!”   


“Raise your hands if you totally saw this coming,” Miu scoffed, rolling her eyes. “No one cares, Chabashitra!” 

“...You seem to have expected us to defend Peko because we’re her classmates,” Chiaki said. “But has it occurred to you that the reason we suspect her is because we’ve known her for longer?”    


“If there’s a reason to believe she’s the killer, then say it,” Tenko said. “And I will counter it, Nanami!” 

It was Gundham that spoke up. “Because for one, Peko has stained her hands with the blood of a classmate before. So we must consider that she would do it again!”    


“That’s not answering my question! What reason is there to suspect her for this murder?” Tenko asked aggressively. 

_ That’s not the reaction I expected Tenko to have. Did she already know that Pekoyama was a Blackened? _

“Okay, instead of talking around her, maybe we should ask the suspect,” Kaede said. “Pekoyama, are you the killer?”    


No. It’s true that I talked with Nagito yesterday,” Peko said, fully recovered. “But after that, I left the casino, and did not return for the rest of the day.” 

“Do you not have someone to confirm that account?” Rantaro asked. “It wouldn’t make for a good alibi if you don’t.” 

“Well, it’s not like Peko expected for there to be a murder that night!” Tenko exclaimed. “In fact, it would weirder if she had an alibi ready for a murder we didn’t even know happened yesterday!” 

“...Holy shit, when did you grow a brain? Okay, enough talking!” Miu said. “If someone can prove or disprove Tenko’s point, have at it!” 

“All I can do is state what I know- Nagito was still alive when I left the casino,” Peko said. “If he had something planned, I was not there to see it.”    


“Right now, it is possible for Peko to be the killer. She has the means…” Chiaki said. “So we should discuss if she has the motive.” 

_ Motive, huh? I actually know something that no one else does. But… what do I want to do with that knowledge?  _

**Nonstop Debate**

**Truth Bullets: Suspicious Conversation, Monokuma File #2, Chiaki and Nagito’s Arrangement, Sighting of Nagito **

Peko: “It’s true that I talked with Nagito. However, I  **left the casino after.**

Gundham: “You have no further defense for yourself? Is it because you have no true defense?” 

Tenko: “She’s telling the truth, so the killer ** stayed in the casino** !” 

Chiaki: “That’s only a possibility. If Peko had  **a strong motive** , it’s also possible she is still the killer.” 

Korekiyo: “No one would know Pekoyama’s motive better than she does. We can only guess and hope to be right… keh heh heh.” 

_ Do I have reason to believe Pekoyama? I know nothing about her, and she does seem capable of committing murder again.  _

Kaede looked over at Tenko, who continued to be the only person to argue for Peko’s innocence.    


_ Or maybe I don’t need to believe in Pekoyama. I see if Tenko’s faith in her is justified. _

**Suspicious Conversation ---> Regular Conversation**

**“I’ll turn this lie into the truth!”**

* * *

“No, I certainly can’t think of a reason that Pekoyama would want to kill Komaeda. At least, not in the past few days.”    


Peko narrowed her eyes as she looked over at Kaede, but didn’t say anything, studying the pianist instead. 

“In the past few days? That seems oddly specific,” Sayaka said. “Why did you put it that way?”   


“Because Monokuma provided a motive- and if that were a reason for Pekoyama to kill, she would have done it as soon as possible,” Kaede said. “Do you agree, Nanami and Tanaka?”    


Gundham didn’t answer Kaede right away, instead whispering to Ent-B. Amazingly, the bird seemed to be whispering back. “Ent-B, reincarnation of the Yatagarasu, has told me to accept this theory… for now. However, we are keeping a careful eye on you!”   


“In which case, there would be less reason to suspect Peko, at least for this case…” A relieved smile crossed Chiaki’s face. “I’m glad.”    


“It almost sounds like you were trying to clear your classmate from the beginning.” Rantaro noted.

“I wanted to believe that Peko could be innocent… but only after facing the possibility that she could be guilty,” Chiaki said. “Because then I can trust her, from the bottom of my heart.”    


“I see what you’re saying, Nanami. I apologize for implying you were being cold or uncaring!” Tenko exclaimed, bowing to Chiaki.    


Peko, who had been listening to all of this, seemed to finally arrive at an internal conclusion. “Both of you argued true to your convictions, but arrived at the same place because of it. After all the reflecting I’ve done these past few days, I’ve come to realize that I’ve lost my path. But as long as I have this second life, I will find it again.” 

“That’s the spirit, Pekoyama!” Kaede was glad to hear that the other girl had finally found the fire she was lacking before.    


“Don’t get comfortable yet! We still have to take care of the Blackened that put us in this mess,” Miu cut in. “Of course, I already know who it is.”    


“You do, Iruma? Then what are you waiting for? Tell us already!” Ishimaru yelled. 

“Not yet. I need to know if my rival has figured it out too,” Miu said, before she turned her attention towards Chiaki. “The killer was in the casino yesterday, and put together the fake Nagito the next day. That should make it obvious!”    


While Chiaki was mulling it over, Kaede also considered these clues. 

_ We didn’t get to discuss the fake Nagito much, have we? Not only that, but I’ve been sensing an attempt to lead us down the wrong path. Which would mean… _

A lightbulb went off in Kaede’s head, and she without further hesitation said, “I know who the killer is! If everything we’ve discussed is true, then it can only be…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, everyone? This will be just like last time- the Blackened that Kaede will accuse will be picked by majority vote. If you get it right, the reward is a bonus scene. If you get it wrong, Kaede will look silly. I leave it in the hands of the audience now. See you next time! Please review.


	29. Chapter 2, Trial IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are back with the rest of the trial. It's going to be a straight shot until the end, so everyone stay sharp. As a start, we'll resolve the accusation everyone decided on previously. Enjoy, my readers!

“...Tsumugi Shirogane!”    


“Huh? You’re accusing me of the murder?” Tsumugi asked, cold sweat running down her face. “But why? I’m just a plain girl that plainly lives her life.” 

“But even a plain girl can nudge the direction of the debate,” Chiaki pointed out. “Like how you seemed to push suspicion towards Peko.”    


“Not only that, but the moment I suggested the possibility of the Komaeda from this morning being fake, you moved the conversation away from it pretty fast,” Kaede said, picking up Chiaki’s thought process. “Is there a reason you did that?”   


“Because the ‘Komaeda’ that you saw was none other than this Plain Jane!” Miu declared. “Why else could she be sweating through her shirt right now?”    


“Is any of that true, Tsumugi?” Tenko asked, looking at the cosplayer in disbelief. 

“Of course not. I’m not capable of any of that,” Tsumugi said. “But especially not dressing as Komaeda. That would go against everything I believe in! Isn’t that right, Kaede?”    


Kaede knew exactly what Tsumugi was talking about. A memory the pianist would never forget, even if she wanted to. “You mean the cospox, right?”    


“That’s the first time I’ve heard of that,” Rantaro said. “Could you explain it to the rest of us?”    


_ Of course it had to be Rantaro that asked the question. _ “During your… murder, Rantaro, I considered the possibility that Tsumugi could have dressed up as someone, and I asked her myself. She got really offended about it, and decided to show me why it was impossible.”    


“Because cosplay is about the love of a character. If I ever tried to misuse it to disguise as a real person I would break out into a rash that covers my entire body,” Tsumugi explained. “That’s cospox. So you can see why Komaeda was last seen this morning, not last night!”

“Tsumugi had an explanation ready even before you asked? Interesting…” Rantaro muttered to himself. 

“I’ve seen this with my own eyes,” Kaede said, shuddering. “So I know that Tsumugi’s telling the truth.”    


“And yet you accused your classmate of the murder. I assume that means that you believe she could have still done it?” Peko asked. 

_ I did hesitate to accuse Tsumugi after remembering about cospox. But everything else fits, so there has to be a reason behind the impossible Komaeda sighting. And she doesn’t want us to talk about it.  _

“Taka, you have a good memory. Tell us everything about what happened when we saw Komaeda going up the stairs,” Kaede said. “And the rest of us can see what we can find.” 

“I’ll do my best, Kaede!” Standing at attention , Ishimaru recited, “At around two in the afternoon, Kaede and I headed to the west side of the casino to play cards together.”    


“That was shortly after Iruma’s showcase, so everyone had gone their separate ways,” Sayaka added. “But now that I’m remembering it, no one had seen Komaeda that entire morning.”    


“Komaeda was going up the stairs to the second floor! We talked with him briefly, but he told us that he had urgent business! Then continued walking, and we didn’t see him again until the body discovery! That’s the end of my report!” Ishimaru exclaimed. 

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but it sounds like Nagito never once turned to face you that entire conversation,” Peko said. “And his dress style lends itself to not seeing any skin.”    


“A hooded jacket, long pants… I see what you mean, Peko,” Chiaki said. “If we were to take Shirogane at her word, it’s still possible for her to disguise Nagito without being given away.”    


_ Now that I think about it, neither of us saw Komaeda’s face that time. Even if it were Tsumugi with cospax…  _ “There would be no way to know the difference,” Kaede finished out loud.

“Yes there would be! I mean, listen to me right now!” Tsumugi cried out. “Does it sound like I could come close to imitating Komaeda’s voice?”

“People have been capable of the vocal forms of mimicry for generations. Nowadays, it’s used in forms of entertainment such as puppet shows,” Korekiyo said. “Or in the realm of theater. Tell me, Tsumugi. Have you ever needed to shift your voice for a cosplay?”   


Tsumugi closed her mouth, and glared sullenly at the trial courtroom at large.    


“Tch, now you’re pulling the silent act? It’s not like you say much that’s useful anyways,” Miu scoffed. “Luckily, I already know how to expose you!”    


“That would be news,” Ryoma said in a dry deadpan. “But I suppose we should listen to anything at this point.”    


“Oh fuck you too!” Sighing, Miu continued, “We’ve agreed that the trash weeb killed Komaeda last night. She admitted that she was in the casino, but did her boy toys ever see her go anywhere else?” 

“Your words will not sway us, Iruma! Those such as myself and Shirogane have been misunderstood for all of history,” Hifumi said smugly. “Shirogane was with us at some point!”    


Hifumi’s brain caught up with his words, and he broke out into a profuse sweat. “I mean, surely Tanaka’s Evil Eye could see her no matter where she was, right?”

Gundham was currently patting EntB’s head in a nervous fashion. “No subordinate of mine would act without my permission!”    


“We clearly aren’t getting answers from Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum over here,” Miu said, rolling her eyes. “Can we place Tsumugi stabbing the shit out of Komaeda on the second floor?

“If it were that simple, Iruma, we would have done it already!” Ishimaru cried out, distressed. “Even if her friends lost sight of her, there’s no way to prove where she went after that!”

Kaede considered the dilemma before her.  _ If I were Shuichi, what would he say at a time like this? No one saw Tsumugi go up the stairs. But maybe someone heard her? _

“Nanami, could you tell us all again about what happened when you checked on Komaeda?” Kaede asked. “Don’t leave out any details.” 

“Okay, Akamatsu. If we all do our best, then maybe we’ll find something to push the trial forward.” Chiaki said. 

**Nonstop Debate**

**Truth Bullets: Monokuma File #2, Nagito and Chiaki’s Arrangement, Kitchen Knife, Golden Capsule **

Tsumugi: “I  **never went to the second floor!** I stayed with Tanaka and Yamada the entire night, and then I went to my room!” 

Gundham: “As my faithful servant, Shirogane’s sole task was to gain food for EntB. She  _ would not dare disappoint him! _ ”

Ishimaru: “After half an hour, I called out for Komaeda just as Nanami told me to. He responded  **exactly as he always would!** ”

Chiaki: “Sorry we don’t have more information to give. I believed that Komaeda was still alive, but I should have checked myself.” 

Tsumugi: “Now do you see? There’s no way I could be the murderer!” 

_ I know I can’t prove for sure that Tsumugi was on the second floor. But maybe something about this situation was off?  _ _   
_

Kaede felt unsure, because it seemed like she would be speaking about someone she didn’t know too well. Still, she needed to try something. 

**“NO, THAT’S WRONG!”**

* * *

**** “Komaeda’s classmates can correct me if I’m wrong. But wasn’t his ‘response’ kind of weird?” Kaede asked. 

“You say that as if Nagito’s very existence wasn’t a strange occurrence,” Gundham answered sardonically. “He did as he pleased.”    


“That’s not what I mean! Look, for as long as I’ve known Komaeda, he’s shown something consistently,” Kaede said. “And that is beating himself up at every opportunity.”    


Chiaki looked like someone punched her in the gut. “You’re saying the greeting that ‘Nagito’ gave wasn’t actually him.”   


“Yes. It was from his killer- someone that didn’t know him that well, and was forced into a position where they would have to come up with something on the spot,” Kaede said. “That’s why their response to Ishimaru was out of character for Komaeda.”    


“The voice sounded exactly like Komaeda, though. That means his killer would be able to imitate him!” Ishimaru exclaimed. 

“Surely Komaeda wasn’t down on himself all the time,” Tsumugi said, her voice shaking. “Everyone has at least one nice day that makes them cheerful, right?” 

Tenko looked deeply troubled. “Of all the people in the casino, Peko left, and Yamada and Tanaka were with each other the whole time. So the only killer would be you, Tsumugi! Unless there’s a good reason why it can’t be you?”

“Of course there is!” It was then that Tsumugi did something completely unexpected. She crossed her arms under her chest, and her eyes grew large and watery. “Look at me. Anyone could tell that I’m innocent.”    


The trial courtroom seemed to fade away, as all of Kaede’s attention was drawn to Tsumugi.  _ She does look innocent. I don’t know what I was thinking.  _

“I can see that you’re changing your mind, Kaede,” Tsumugi said, a light pink dusting her cheeks. Her arms seemed to be pushing her chest out. “Let’s just forget about the debate, alright?”    


Vaguely, Kaede could hear noises around her, but that didn’t matter right now. “Yeah, let’s forget about every-”    


“Kaede! Please snap out of it!”    


Ishimaru’s voice cut through the fog in Kaede’s mind, and she realized that most of the other students were gripped in some kind of fugue state. The most notable exceptions were Ishimaru, Ryoma, Rantaro, Korekiyo, and Sayaka, although Sayaka’s eyes were a bit unfocused.    


“Shirogane is really pouring on the charm. It’s a good thing I have experience with this kind of tactic,” Sayaka said, fighting against the mental fog. “Otherwise I’d be as enthralled as the others.” 

“...What were we talking about again?” Peko asked, holding her head. “I’m trying to remember, but my mind refuses to listen to me.” 

Chiaki was somehow napping on her feet, her face bright red. Miu and Tenko were completely lost, muttering things under their breath that Kaede wasn’t sure she wanted to know about. Gudham and Hifumi weren’t much better, their expressions completely glazed over.    


“This is really what you’re doing, Tsumugi? I suppose you never change,” Rantaro said, shaking his head. “I hope you realize you can’t keep this up forever.”   


“What are you talking about? Even if I was doing something, I couldn’t tell you,” Tsumugi said, adjusting her glasses so it sat cutely on her nose. “It’s a secret family technique!” 

“You’ve definitely rendered debates impossible for the time being, Tsumugi,” Korekiyo said. “I suppose that is a demonstration of your resolve to not get caught. Kehehehe… does anyone have an alternate way to prove her guilt?”

“We should keep talking about what happened last night. But I wasn’t there, and everyone that was there is indisposed. Except for Taka,” Sayaka said in a concerned tone. “Are we going to be okay?”    


“Earlier, Rantaro mentioned that the crime taking place last night resolved a core contradiction,” Ryoma said, sticking a candy cigarette in his mouth. “Is there anything else that could have only been possible last night?” 

Kaede made the mistake of looking in Tsumugi’s direction, and her mind nearly melted under the charm the cosplayer was exuding. 

_ Tsumugi really is dangerously sexy. But I need to focus!  _ “This murder required a lot of setup. Maybe some of it happened yesterday?”

“If anything happened yesterday, it would be putting Komaeda’s body in the golden capsule!” Ishimaru pointed out. “After all, we agreed it couldn’t have happened this morning because too many people were in the casino!” 

_ Then was anything different about last night that could change that?  _

“ **I GOT IT!** ”

“If I have the events of last night correct, no one was on the west side of the casino,” Kaede said. “So it’s possible that Tsumugi could have snuck there to take the golden capsule after killing Komaeda!”

Tsumugi hugged herself in a distressed fashion. “Kaede, my dear… I didn’t do it! I’m just a cosplayer. I wouldn’t be able to come up with a plan like this.”    


At this point, Kaede noticed something.  _ Tsumugi isn’t actually trying to come up with an argument. She’s keeping up the ‘innocent seduction’ act hoping we’ll give up.  _

“I think you’re right, Kaede! Even Nanami and I were hanging around the east side,” Ishimaru said. “Shirogane certainly could have taken the prize capsule when no one was watching!” 

“If anything, the killer would have no choice but to do this,” Korekiyo mused. “If Komaeda really attacked first, then the Blackened would need to hide the body fast.” 

“Umm…” Tsumugi turned her attention to Tenko, Miu, and Hifumi in turn. “All of you believe that I’m not the killer. I need a little help here.”    


“I’m always going to jump to the aid of a pretty girl!” Tenko declared. 

“Ohh… I don’t know this feeling, but it’s nice,” Miu cooed, before immediately turning aggressive. “So I’ll cut anyone that will take this from me!” 

“With my dark powers joining with Shirogane’s, nothing can stop us,” Hifumi said dramatically. “Surrender!”

“Oh dear. Now we have opposition. But I think I can handle Chabashira!” Sayaka cleared her throat, and started to sing. “~We need you right now, Chabashira. Come back to us and fight for good~!”

The blank look in Tenko’s eyes faded, and she started looking around. “What happened? What’s going on?!” 

“Thank goodness you’re back, Tenko. We’re still discussing Komaeda’s murder,” Kaede said. “Do you remember anything that could help?”    


Tenko looked over at Chiaki, who was still dazed. “I wish we had Nanami. She could have finally explained to us why she wanted a hair dryer.” 

“Why the fuck would Nanamini want that at a time like this? She’s more vain than I thought,” Miu said, sneering at the gamer. 

“I don’t think that was why. But for the life of me, I still can’t think of the real reason,” Kaede said, feeling demoralized at the wall they were stuck at. “But she clearly had something in mind.”    


“It had something to do with the capsule that Komaeda’s body I was in. No one could get it open,” Sayaka said. “Chabashira and Pekoyama are the strongest people here, and even they couldn’t do it.” 

“Then not only was there something about the body that Tsumugi didn’t want anyone to know about, but the method used to seal the capsule is something she would have access to,” Korekiyo said. “And judging how she went pale, I appear to have hit the mark.”   


Kaede closed her eyes, and she could see the problem laid out before her. All she needed was the solution… 

**Hangman’s Gambit**

_-_-_-_-_ _-_-_-_

WRICTBAF ZUPGQLE

_ We’re looking for a method to seal the prize capsule. One that Tsumugi would have easy access to, maybe even on her person. Most of all, a method that would require a hair dryer to break it when nothing else would work. Then it could be…  _

Craft Glue

**“IT ALL FITS!”**

* * *

“Tsumugi used glue to seal the capsule!” Kaede exclaimed. “But not just any glue. As a cosplayer, Tsumugi would have glue that is strong enough to withstand anything!”    


“I get it! That kind of special glue is probably meant for outfits that she wears, that withstands all kinds of movement,” Sayaka said. “And in that case, the glue would have dried overnight. No wonder the capsule couldn’t be opened!” 

“Then Nanami wanted the hair dryer in hopes of heating the capsule open,” Ryoma said. “To melt the glue. It’s almost embarrassing that this didn’t occur to anyone.” 

“Noooooo!” Tsumugi cried out, on the verge of tears. “Why are you bullying me like this?”    


Even so, Kaede noticed that Tsumugi’s hold on everyone else was starting to fade, the various students shaking their heads.    


_ I think we’re approaching the end of the trial. A part of me doesn’t want to do this, but I have no choice!  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How does everyone imaging things progressing from here? There are still a few loose ends left to resolve. Until the suspect is made to admit everything, the case is not over. See you next time! Please review.


	30. Chapter 2, Trial V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The trial heads right for the climax! Kaede needs the help of everyone to clear up the final contradictions in this murder. But what sort of truth awaits everyone at the bottom? Enjoy, my readers!

“That’s exactly why I wanted a hair dryer,” Chiaki said, the  second  one to regain her faculties. “I’ve had ... experience with killers using glue as part of their plan. But I felt it was more important to access Komaeda’s body right away.”   


“Because it might have a hint to lead to the killer. Too bad we never found it…” Kaede didn’t let herself regret that for too long. “Tsumugi, you’re probably going to say that we can’t actually prove that the capsule was sealed with glue, or that you did it.”   


“That’s exactly right, Kaede. I’m glad you understand that,” Tsumugi said. “What good would it do me anyways?”   


“We haven’t resolved the entire case yet. Sure, it’s very likely that Tsumugi killed Komaeda last night, and  was  disguised as him the following morning,” Rantaro said. “But we haven’t figured out what happened after that.”

Kaede recalled that she saw Tsumugi during Miu’s invention showcase, and had seen her enter the casino after the body had been discovered. “How did Tsumugi manage to get down from the second floor without being seen?”   


“That would be just plain impossible. The only way down would be the stairs,” Tsumugi pointed out. “No one went down the stairs during that time.” 

“As the killer, that would be exactly what you want us to think,” Peko said. She bowed her head to the rest of the courtroom. “Apologies for taking leave of my senses. It will not happen again.”

“What’s important is that you’re with us again! But about what you were saying, Peko,” Tenko said. “Do you know of an alternate route the killer could have taken?”

“Not as such, no. But I feel it would be worth debating,” Peko said. “If we consider every part of the second floor landing, we may arrive at an answer.” 

“If you’re ever feeling discouraged, don’t be!” Sayaka exclaimed. “I’ll be here to perk you back up! It’s the least I can do as an idol.” 

_ Everyone here is starting to come together as a group. What I can do is make sure that Tsumugi is the last person that falls to this killing game!  _

**Nonstop Debate**

**Truth Bullets: Sighting of Nagito, Ryoma’s Testimony, White Cloth, Kitchen Knife**

Tsumugi: “It had to be the real Komaeda that went up the stairs. Because it’s  **impossible to go downstairs ** without getting caught!” 

Rantaro: “That’s what you want us to think. The question is, if the killer had another route, what was it? Let’s recall the second floor landing.”    


Chiaki: “There are traces of the crime there. The bloodstain, for one. Maybe that  _ has another clue we could find? _

Gundham: We have discussed that crimson stain until exhaustion! There is nothing more that we can glean from it!” 

Sayaka: “Then maybe there’s something on the landing that _doesn’t belong there?_ We could have overlooked it because of the bloodstain.”   


Hifumi: “If such a thing existed, it would have been brought up already. I believe that this proves the lovely Miss Shirogane’s innocence!”    


Tsumugi: “The  **lovely Miss Shirogane** is going to beat this trial!” 

_ There are a lot of people participating in this debate, but that also means that there are a lot of different viewpoints. Maybe the way to advance isn’t straightforward?  _ _   
_

Instead of directly trying to prove or disprove anything, Kaede decided it would be best to suggest an alternate possibility.  _ I think I have just the evidence, too.  _

“ **I AGREE WITH THAT!”**

* * *

“Maizono is right. Because we’ve been so focused on the bloodstain, there’s something we haven’t discussed,” Kaede said. “Someone tied a white piece of cloth to the railing, right next to the gacha machine.” 

“They did? But I can’t possibly see what that might have to do with the murder,” Ishimaru said. “What could a cloth do to help the killer?”    


“There’s the cloth itself to consider,” Kaede said. “It was torn off of something bigger. The cloth also seemed to have a design on it. But all I could see was a red line of some kind that wasn’t blood.”    


“Yet, that still means nothing! You can’t use the cloth to summon a killer where there is none!” Gundham declared. “And the owner of the cloth wouldn’t matter either!”    


“The owner? Do you already know who owns the cloth?” Tenko asked. 

Gundham fell silent, and crossed his arms. 

“Ugh. Why do degenerate males always fall silent when they actually have something helpful to say,” Tenko said, deadpan. “Do we even want to bother getting him to talk?”   


Before anyone could try anything, something unexpected happened: EntB, who had been sitting on Gundham’s shoulder, suddenly craned it’s head and bit him on the ear.    


“For you to turn on your master! What insolence!” Gundham cried out in fury. “For what reason would you commit such an act?”    


EntB screeched at Gundham, the latter of whom listened intently. “You insist that I tell the court what I know?”    


_ Thank goodness for Gundham’s bird. Not a sentiment I ever thought I’d have, but here we are.  _

“There is no mystery. The white cloth was torn from Nagito’s shirt,” Gundham said. “The killer likely tore it off of him after the murder.” 

“Then the red line that Akamatsu saw was part of the design on the shirt,” Chiaki said. She toyed with the drawstrings of her hoodie, deep in thought. “Still, something doesn’t feel right about this.” 

_ The question that we started on was “what route did the killer use to escape”. We haven’t answered that, but we may have stumbled on something else.  _ _   
_

“The killer disguised as Komaeda and went up the stairs, right? But what happened to the clothes after?” Kaede asked. “They had to go somewhere. It could be that this white cloth is part of that set of clothes!”    


“But that doesn’t mean that the killer couldn’t have torn it off of the clothes that Komaeda was already wearing!” Tsumugi cried out desperately. “Especially if you can’t prove where the rest of the clothes went!” 

“Because the capsule couldn’t be opened before the trial started. I assume that’s why you sealed it,” Peko said, glaring at Tsumugi. “You certainly wanted to make sure nothing could be definitively answered.” 

“We can’t get distracted from the topic,” Rantaro said coolly. “Does any of this add up to an escape route for the killer?” 

“What we know is that the killer tied Komaeda’s shirt to the railing.” Sayaka said. “And it was torn at some point.”   


“And if the killer used a separate set of Komaeda’s clothes, it had to be disposed of after,” Ryoma continued. “Are these events connected?” 

“Of course they are!” Miu suddenly snapped. She started blinking rapidly. “What the fuck did you do to my golden brain, Tsumugi?!”    


Tsugumi didn’t answer, because she was shrinking into herself as if trying to disappear. Unfortunately for her, there was no way to get everyone’s eyes off of her. 

“Iruma, did you figure something out about the murder?” Chiaki asked. 

“You really don’t see it, Nanamini? I will take victory from you before you know it,” Miu said smugly. “The killer went to the second floor landing, then took off Komaeda’s clothes. They tied the shirt to the railing, and then…?”    


Miu was clearly expecting for the rest to be filled in. Kaede considered all the clues thus far. “They tied the shirt to the railing, and then… maybe they tied the rest of his clothes to the shirt? Then all of the clothes would…”    


Kaede’s eyes widened as everything seemed to click into place. “The clothes would make a rope! Miu, are you saying the Blackened climbed down from the second floor like this?”    


“About time you caught up, flat tits!” Miu said, cackling. “I figured it out as soon as I saw that shirt! Of course, first we had to figure out who the killer was! So it’s annoying that it took so long!”   


“...” Kaede ignored Miu’s usual insults. “So, the killer could have used the disguise as a rope to get them down from the second floor. Still, why was only part of the shirt left behind?”

“There is another thing that hasn’t been answered. I saw the shirt as well, and it had a strange pattern,” Rantaro said. “Half the rip was jagged, and half of it was smooth. Tsumugi, as a cosplayer, do you have an opinion on why this is?”

“Umm… clothes rip sometimes, and there’s never a rhyme or reason for how or why it happens,” Tsumugi said nervously. “Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”

As the trial continued around her, Sayaka was deep in thought. “Would you describe the smooth half as ‘perfectly’ smooth?” 

“I would say so, Maizono. Why do you ask?” Kaede wondered. 

“Because in my experience with elaborate costumes, a rip like that doesn’t happen naturally,” Sayaka said. “It could only happen if someone cut the clothes with scissors.” 

“I thank you, Maizono. That was the last piece of the puzzle I needed,” Korekiyo said, chuckling. “Consider that the Blackened would need to retrieve their improvised rope after it was used. I believe they sabotaged their own rope on purpose. They cut the cloth, so that when they reached the first floor, they would only need to tug on the cloth to rip it the rest of the way. As such, most of the disguise could be disposed of, and only that scrap of cloth would remain.” 

“Wait a moment. Everyone is jumping to conclusions…” Tsumugi said weakly. 

“Then, did the killer plan to leave the cloth tied to the railing? I think it would draw suspicion,” Tenko pointed out. “The bloodstain would be bad enough!” 

“Maybe not. Remember that the Blackened put Komaeda’s body into the gacha machine so it wouldn’t be found,” Peko said. “It’s possible that they intended for the body to stay there for at least a couple of days.” 

“Then after the fake Komaeda was seen, the killer would sneak up to the second floor to retrieve the cloth, and dispose of that final piece of evidence.” Ryoma smirked wryly. “But Komaeda’s luck ruined that plan before it happened.” 

“Still, I think only Shirogane could have pulled this off,” Sayaka said. “She’s the only one with the expertise to use clothes as a rope like this.”    


I said to wait a moment! There’s just no way that happened!” Tsumugi cried out. 

“What is it now? You haven’t argued shit this whole time!” Miu snapped. 

“Even if any of that was right, there’s something everyone is forgetting,” Tsumugi said. “And I won’t let everyone accuse me without addressing it!” 

**Nonstop Debate**

**Truth Bullets: Nagito and Chiaki’s Arrangement, White Cloth, Empty Area, Golden Capsule**

Tsumugi: “It was impossible for anyone to use clothes as a rope, not just me!”    


Hifumi: “That’s right! Because Miss Shirogane was with me, outside the casino, putting a prize she won away into her room!”    


Tenko: “Wait, did you  **go inside Tsumugi’s room** ? I have major objections to that idea!”    


Chiaki: “We can’t get distracted. We don’t know if Tsumugi didn’t pull this off before she left the casino. So why is it impossible?” 

Tsugumi: “Because it’s not like I’m a fairy that could turn invisible at will. If I had climbed down from the second floor, I  **would have been seen for sure!”**

Miu: “Are we going to trust your word after all the lying you’ve done? Not to mention, you tried to seduce everyone earlier!” 

Gundham: “Not exactly anyone’s proudest moment, for sure.” 

_ I think I see what Tsumugi is saying. Someone trying to climb down from the second floor railing would be seen by anyone that looked at them. Unless… there’s something that would prevent it.  _

Kaede tried to recall any offbeat pieces of evidence that hadn’t anywhere else to fit so far.  _ Come to think of it, Miu made a big deal about me seeing something. Could it be…? _

**“NO, THAT’S WRONG!”**

* * *

“During the investigation, Miu drew my attention to something,” Kaede said. “An area of the casino behind the giant Gacha machine.” 

“But what could be special about that area? If there was decisive evidence there, you would have brought it up by now!” Hifumi declared, pointing at Kaede. 

“The area itself is the evidence,” Kaede said. “What I noticed is that standing there, you are completely hidden behind the machine.” 

“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the killer managed to get down from the second floor!” Miu said excitedly. “Using the rope they made out of Komaeda’s clothes, they climbed behind the gacha machine. Then they could slip out from there and join everyone else with no problem!” 

“That would seem to explain everything,” Chiaki said. “It is possible to pull off this crime while being obscured by the gacha machine… I think.” 

“Well, Tsumugi Shirogane? If you have any final objections, now is the time to voice them,” Korekiyo said. “Otherwise, it will be your permanent end .” 

To Kaede’s confusion, Tsumugi was smiling. “The hero, or heroine, if you prefer, always ends up being cornered and beaten  to  near death. But that is the exact moment when they unleash their true power, and turn it all around!”    


“Of course you are. You always did see yourself like that,” Rantaro said, an amused smile on his face. “Well, let us have it. What is your final argument?”    


“It’s very simple. Kaede said earlier that there was nothing behind the gacha machine,” Tsumugi said. “So I have a simple question: What happened to Komaeda’s clothes? The alleged disguise that the killer would have to take with them?”    


"Um, it seems like the clothes in question disappeared," Tenko said, her face screwed up in concentration. "And I don't think anyone saw Tsumugi with the clothes."

“...Saw her with clothes?” Kaede realized that she had the final piece of evidence ready. “No, that’s not the right way to think about it. Because what Tsumugi had was….” 

**“I’VE GOT IT!” **

“A prize capsule. According to Ryoma, Tsumugi was carrying a red prize capsule with her when she left the casino,” Kaede said. “And he didn’t get to see what was inside.”    


“Then, are you suggesting that inside were the clothes that Tsumugi used to disguise as Komaeda?” Ryoma aasked. 

“The best way to know for sure would be to go to Tsumugi’s room, and retrieve that red prize capsule,” Kaede said. “Unless you will show us yourself, Tsumugi?”    


The proud smile on Tsumugi’s face slipped away, as her expression was replaced with despondent defeat.    


“It appears as if Tsumugi has given up the fight.” Korekiyo said. “But even this utter ruination of her plan has a beauty to it.”

“Not just yet. The only way to know for sure would be to go over this crime again,” Kaede said. “And close this incident once and for all!” 

**CLOSING ARGUMENT**

**Act 1: ** The instigator of this crime is not the same as the Blackened. Because the first instigator was Nagito Komaeda! Last night, he took a knife from the dining hall and headed to the casino. I saw him, but I didn’t realize what he was planning at the time. Once Komaeda entered the casino, he went to the entertainment hall. 

**Act 2: ** Once he was there, he asked Chiaki to leave the hall for unknown reasons. Now that he’s dead, we’ll never know those reasons… but some time after that, Komaeda left the hall, and met up with someone. This someone would become his killer!    
****

**Act 3: ** On that second floor landing, there was only Komaeda and his planned victim. So Komaeda must have taken out the knife, struck at the other person! But somehow, the other person managed to take the knife from him, and stabbed him in return! However, this left the Blackened in the worst possible position.    
****

**Act 4: ** The Blackened was forced to think on their feet. When Nanami and Taka called for Komaeda, they quickly imitated Komaeda’s voice, to buy themselves some time. After that, they went downstairs and snuck to the west side of the casino. With no one there, the Blackened could steal Tanaka’s gold prize capsule and smuggle it back upstairs.

**Act 5: ** From there, they put Komaeda’s body in the gold prize capsule, which they then placed inside the gacha machine using the hatch on the second floor. At this point, the killer noticed the message Komaeda left in the bloodstain. Unable to clean up the entire stain, they opted to erase the message. But even now, the killer had to get suspicion off of themselves. So they came up with a plan to enact the following morning. 

**Act 6**: By procuring a copy of Komaeda’s clothes, the Blackened disguised themselves as him, and made a point to let themselves be seen going upstairs by myself and Taka. Once upstairs, the killer took off the disguise, and tied all the clothes together to make a rope. They used that to get down from the second floor, using the gacha machine to make sure they were unseen! From there, they pulled the rope to retrieve most of it, except for a piece of shirt stuck on the second floor railing. The Blackened put the disguise into a red prize capsule prepared ahead of time, and simply walked out of the casino with it in their arms. And the only person capable of pulling that off…

“Is you, Tsumugi Shirogane! I can’t think of anyone else!

* * *

“If I got anything wrong, please tell me,” Kaede said, looking at Tsumugi for a reaction. “All our lives are on the line, after all.”    


“I’m… I’m…” Clutching her hands in front of her, Tsumugi burst into tears. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean for it to turn out like this!”    


“It appears that Shirogane has confessed,” Peko said. “And yet, this doesn’t feel like a victory.”    


“Because in the first place, this only happened because of Komaeda! He’s the one that tried to kill first!” Tenko cried out. 

“We don’t need to worry about those details! If everyone is in agreement, then I will call for Voting Time!” Monokuma declared. “It’s the heartracing showdown between the Blackened and the Spotless face off!”    


The podium in front of Kaede lit up with everyone’s names. Fighting past the sick feeling in her stomach, Kaede voted for Tsumugi.    


“Are you going to make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong choice? What’s it going to be, what’s it going to be?”    


A screen descended into the trial room, displaying all the students. Eleven votes came in for Tsumugi, with only two votes going for Peko. 

**CLASS TRIAL ADJOURNED**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's a wrap, folks! Next time will be the end of Chapter 2, with an explanation for how things happened and of course, the execution to follow. I hope everyone will brace themselves for that. See you next time! Please review.


	31. Chapter 2, Trial VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of Chapter 2 has arrived! With the murder solved, all that is left is to hear the killer's account of how this all played out, and everyone's response to it as well. Enjoy, my readers!

“This time, there is a clear majority! And that majority… is completely correct! The killer of Nagito Komaeda is indeed Tsumugi Shirogane!”    


Monokuma’s proclamation was followed by the rest of the students bringing their collectively heavy gaze down upon Tsumugi. Sayaka was the first one to speak.   


“I get Shirogane not voting for herself, but who else voted the same as her?” 

Immediately, a guilty expression crossed Hifumi’s face. “Honestly, if anyone looks as if they could kill, it’s Pekoyama. Including how she’s glaring with me with those red eyes right now!”    


“...Even among  all the degenerate males I’ve seen in my life, I loathe you more than anyone,” Tenko said, her calm words belied by the utter fury in her tone. “I am this close to-!”    


“Leave it, Tenko. He’s not worth the effort,” Peko said, her tone laced with contempt. “Besides which, we have more important matters at hand. Such as Shirogane’s motive for this entire incident.” 

This swung the attention back to Tsumugi. With no other choice, she began to explain.    


“When I was in the casino yesterday, I really didn’t believe that I would end up being forced to kill someone. I only went upstairs to check on Nanami. I didn’t realize she had already come downstairs, so when I went towards the entertainment hall. I was almost there, when…”

* * *

_ The door in front of Tsumugi opened, and suddenly Nagito was in front of her.  _ _   
_

_ “Hello there, Shirogane! I’m glad to see you,” Nagito said, his usual grin on his face. “But you won’t be glad to see me.”  _

_ “That’s not the friendliest greeting, Komaeda. But since I have you here, is Nanami still playing video games in there?” Tsumugi asked.  _

_ “Oh, I sent Chiaki away. Because I’d rather no one else were here,” Nagito said. “Not when there is such a glaring problem in front of everyone.”  _ _   
_

_ Tsumugi was starting to get a premonition that she should leave. “Well, a plain girl like me probably isn’t going to help, so…”  _ _   
_

_ Before she could get more than a few feet away, Nagito grabbed her by her left arm. “You are an Ultimate, Shirogane. You are so much more worthy than me! This group is so much more worthy than me! But not when they are mired in indolence.”  _ _   
_

_ “If you have something to say, you could say it in front of everyone else…” Tsumugi said, trying to pull her arm away.  _

_ “Monokuma’s motive failed to spur a murder. Which means that there is no despair for everyone to overcome. As a stepping stone, I want to push this group of Ultimates as much as I can!”  _

_ “And what do I have to do with any of this?” Tsumugi asked, confused and terrified.  _ _   
_

_ From his jacket, Nagito used his free hand to take out a kitchen knife. “Because all hope needs a sacrifice. I’m afraid your luck has run out, Shirogane…” _

* * *

“Why did you not scream for help, Tsumugi?” Tenko asked. “Other people were in the casino! They would have helped you!” 

“It all happened so fast, I didn’t have time to react. In fact, when I saw the knife, my mind went blank,” Tsumugi said. “Maybe I got taken over by my inner Hollow before I was about to die!” 

“Could you please speak English for once?” Miu asked in an irritated tone. 

“I can’t say for sure what happened. My hand kind of… moved in an instant, and it must have caught Komaeda by surprise as much as it did me,” Tsumugi said. “But the next thing I knew, I had the knife in my hand, and before I could think I stabbed it into him.”    


“So in the end, you claim that you are the innocent victim in all of this,” Rantaro said, his expression unreadable. “Caught up in unfortunate circumstances.”    


“The evidence does seem to point to this. But there is one thing I’m curious about,” Ishimaru said. “Did you really come up with the entire plan to cover it up on the spot?”    


“Not all of it. At the moment, all I could remember was being desperate to hide what happened as soon as possible,” Tsumugi said. “Imitating Komaeda’s voice wasn’t something I was prepared for, so I didn’t realize I screwed up. I went downstairs as quietly as I could. Everyone was distracted by Gundham training his bird, so I quickly went to the storage capsule and got his golden prize capsule.” 

“Shirogane, tell me this. When you took that capsule, was it with the intention of pinning this crime on me?” Gundham asked, his expression troubled. “When you altered the message in the bloodstain, was it for that purpose as well?”    
  
“No, it wasn’t like that!” Tsumugi cried out, fresh tears in her eyes. “I didn’t want anyone to find the body, and putting it in the gacha machine was the only thing I could think of. Since it took a couple days for the first gold prize to appear, I thought I would get at least that much time.” 

“But Komaeda didn’t even give you that much. The body was discovered in about a little over twelve hours since the murder,” Ryoma said. “His luck didn’t let any of your plans go well.”   


“But if Shirogane’s plan did succeed, the body would have appeared after she got rid of all the evidence,” Peko pointed out. “So the case would have been nearly impossible to solve. Whether we like it or not, Nagito’s luck stopped that.”    


“Wait, we still haven’t heard why she erased the message that Komaeda left,” Sayaka said. “Because we certainly haven’t seen any proof that he didn’t leave the message in the blood.”   


“What else could it be? Komaeda left my name,” Tsumugi said. “I noticed it in time, so I was able to erase it. But… I left the arrow alone. So that when the body did appear, whoever was in the hall would get the blame. But I didn’t think it would end up being Tanaka and Kiyo…” 

“Wait, something about that isn’t right. It’s true that we couldn’t tell what the erased message was, but it didn’t look like letters to me.” Kaede could still see it in her mind’s eye. “It looked like a pattern, and a familiar one.”    


“Come to think of it, I’m getting the same feeling. I feel like I’ve seen the pattern on the carpet before,” Sayaka said, deeply bothered that she couldn’t remember. “Is it really okay that we just leave this unsolved?” 

“That doesn’t matter! The identity of the Blackened has been uncovered!” Monokuma cut in. “Fluff like this isn’t needed!”    


“The entire point of erasing a message is to make sure you can’t tell what it originally was,” Tsumugi said. “So it’s a cold comfort that I did so well.”    


This entire time, Chiaki had been quiet, but despondent. Finally, she said quietly, “I can’t believe that Nagito did that. It just… doesn’t sound like him.”    


“Nanami… you still want to believe what he said before, about not planning a murder,” Tenko said. “But you have to consider the evidence we all discussed together.”    


“I know, but even still…” 

“There is no sense in retreading what could have been. We still have details to confirm,” Korekiyo said. “How many of the details did Kaede get correct, Tsumugi?”    


“Most of it. I’m impressed with how much you’ve improved, Kaede,” Tsumugi said with a weak smile. “You’re not exactly Conan, but you might be on the level of Ran.”    


“The details that she missed was how much preparing I had to do ahead of time,” Tsumugi continued. “I had to sneak into Komaeda’s room and take his clothes. I put them into a red prize capsule I happened to have. I entered the casino first, and put it behind the gacha machine.”    


“Oh, now I get it! You must have used my invention showcase as a cover!” Miu exclaimed. “I heard your voice during it. But after that, you must have gone behind the gacha machine when no one was looking!”    


“I only had a short time to put on Komaeda’s clothes. Even with the Cospox taking effect, I did my best to put on a performance,” Tsumugi said. “I got it right that time, so once I was on the second floor, I quickly got out of his clothes, and tied them into a rope. After making sure no one was coming upstairs, I carefully climbed down to the first floor. Because I cut the rope ahead of time, all it took was one tug so I could get most of the clothes. I planned to retrieve the white cloth later, so I put the rest in the red capsule, and walked out of the casino.”    


“I wanted to help you with whatever was in there…” Hifumi said, his eyes wide behind his glasses. “But the entire time, you had Komeada’s clothes in there?!” 

“My heart was racing the entire time. But when I managed to put that red prize capsule in my room, I heard the body discovery announcement,” Tsumugi said. “I realized that I picked the wrong door after all, and now I was going to fall to my death.” 

“You should always show faith in your student council president. But you didn’t, so now you are going to pay for it,” Monokuma said. “Because now, it’s time for the execution!”    


“No! I don’t want to die!” Tsumugi cried out. “I didn’t want to condemn everyone to execution, but this whole time, I’ve been so scared!” 

“Tsumugi only killed out of self-defense! She shouldn’t have to be held responsible for it!” Tenko exclaimed, fighting tears of her own. “I can feel the terrifying desperation that she must have been fighting this whole time!”    


“The rules are the rules! If you kill someone, no matter the circumstances, you are a Blackened!” Monokuma declared. “So you will be punished!”    


“This is it, then. Everything is going to wrap up in a pretty little bow,” Rantaro said. The entire time, he had never stopped watching Tsumugi. “Another trial going just like all the others.” 

“I didn’t want it to turn out like this! Please, I don’t want to die!” Tsumugi sobbed, her eyes pleading with everyone. 

“Now then, I’ve prepared a special punishment for Tsumugi Shirogane, the Ultimate Cosplayer!”    


“Very well, I’ll let it go this time,” Rantaro continued. “But this conversation isn’t over, I assure you.”    


“Let’s give it everything we’ve got! It’s Punishment Time!” 

**Tsumugi Shirogane has been found guilty**

**Commencing Execution **

Before Tsumugi could process what was happening, she was suddenly on what looked like a giant desk. Looking behind her, she noticed that there was what appeared to be cell paper attached to an animation board. 

This distracted Tsumugi long enough for a pair of giant, disembodied hands to drape a large sheet on her, briefly reducing her to a flailing set of limbs. When the movement suddenly stopped, the hands took the sheet off. Tsumugi was now standing up straight, wearing a red dress and with an unusual tattoo on her shoulder, with clamps on her face forcing her eyes open and her mouth in a  wide smile. 

The robotic hands now took one of Tsumugi’s arms, and pulled on it roughly. With an unpleasant snapping noise, it bent at an unnatural angle and pointed upward, in a parody of a cheerful gesture. After that, the hands went for one of Tsumugi’s legs. With another loud snap, it was spread out as if Tsumugi was going to run.    


Tsumugi could not run even if she wanted to, and in fact her eyes remained fixed forward, with a smile still forced on her face with the clamps. Next, the robotic hands picked her up from the ground, and held her in front of the giant cell paper clamped to the animating board. 

The hands roughly slammed Tsumugi against the cell board, and one hand kept her there. The other hand disappeared briefly, before returning with several needles. The hand stabbed the needles into the crook of Tsumugi’s elbows, and her knees.    


Whoever was controlling the hands seemed to be satisfied with Tsumugi’s position, as they now brought up a block of wood. Without hesitation, the hands brought the block of wood onto Tsumugi.    
  
There was a final, deafening, crunching noise as blood gushed out from beneath the block of wood. A TV screen was placed on the desk, playing Tsumugi being posed before being crushed on loop.

* * *

“Tsumugi may be gone, but she has also been immortalized by anime!” Monokuma declared triumphantly. “It will certainly last longer than any of her cosplay! Ah ha ha ha ha!” 

Kaede had to fight to not throw up after the sickening sight that she just saw. Her fellow classmates didn’t look much better.    


“To take Tsumugi’s passion and make it such a mockery…Monokuma’s cruelty truly knows no bounds.” Korekiyo said, looking truly shaken for the first time.   


“This entire incident happened because Shirogane had the misfortune to run into Nagito at exactly the wrong time,” Peko said, rubbing at her neck. “Life… can be cruel like that. The people you care about can die abruptly, and with no reason.” 

“...No, I’m still not satisfied with this conclusion. Nagito… had no reason to kill someone,” Chiaki said. “He told me that he wouldn’t kill anyone.” 

“If you aren’t satisfied with the conclusion, then your course of action is clear, Nanami,” Rantaro said. “Aren’t you the one that said that sometimes you must doubt someone?” 

A serious expression crossed Chiaki’s face. “I understand, Amami. I will reach the end of this killing game, and confirm the full truth myself.”    


“Hang on a second! You’ve been milking the ‘mysterious, sexy stranger’ act for a while now,” Miu said. “Do you plan on explaining any of the weird comments you’ve been making?”

Rantaro shrugged casually. “All I will say is that I have just as much reason as anyone to put an end to this killing game as soon as possible.”    


“I don’t like that attitude,” Monokuma said, his jagged red eye glowing. “The killing game isn’t something the participants can just ‘end’ on a whim. Why would you bother playing in the first place if you’re going to give up part way?”    


“We didn’t choose to play this! You’re keeping us here for your own sick pleasure!” Tenko shouted. “But that’s why we’re going to fight you until the very end!”    


“Puhuhu… you are free to keep fighting, if you wish. After all, everything you do will lead to the same place- despair.” With his speech concluded, Monokuma left the trial room. 

“Explain yourself already! Who are you? Why do you sound like you know so much?! Miu asked Rantaro. “If you want us to believe you're on our side, then say something!” 

“I can’t tell you what I can’t tell you. I don’t know all the answers that I think I know,” Rantaro said cryptically. “But as soon as I learn something, I’ll let everyone know.”   


Without allowing anyone else to talk, Rantaro headed to the elevator.    


The surviving students trudged right behind him, the bloody moments of Tsumugi’s death burned into their mind. Kaede felt as if she wanted to reject everything that just happened, but couldn’t. 

They exited back into the casino area, where night had fallen and stars sparkled in the sky. Most students went their separate ways, while Sayaka approached Kaede.    


“Akamatsu. I can see that you’re doing your best to be strong for everyone. There are some things you can’t show even to your friends,” Sayaka said. “Can you show your more honest self to me, at least?”    


It was as if Kaede was looking at herself, offering her strength to Shuichi. Even considering how she had betrayed him, Kaede’s offer to him had been genuine.    


Which is why Kaede felt that she could trust Sayaka’s own offer, regardless of the idol’s past sins. She let the sadness and exhaustion deep inside show on her face. 

“We’ve already lost four people. And none of them… were really bad people. Kaito did everything in his power to prevent a murder. Enoshima saved everyone from mass execution.”    


“Shirogane was my friend until the very end. I would preserve the memory of my faithful servant,” Gundham said, joining the group with Hifumi in tow. “I refuse to allow Monokuma to taint those memories.” 

“But what of Komaeda? Even now, I still can’t understand the reason why he decided to kill someone,” Hifumi said. “In fact, Nanami seems to greatly doubt it.”    


“Because Komaeda’s reasons have always been beyond comprehension,” Gundham said. “It would not surprise me if he believed, in his own twisted way, that he was working towards a greater good.”    


“Then how am I going to beat this killing game? So many people are depending on me,” Kaede said, feeling as if she would collapse from the weight on her shoulders. “And I can’t help but feel like I’m failing everyone.”   


“You aren’t alone, Kaede. But I suppose you still have a ways to go if you believe that,” Ryoma said. “Just as we look towards you, know that you can look towards us.” 

“So it looks like it’s not just me, then. You have a lot of people you can lean on,” Sayaka said, smiling. “You’re very lucky like that.”   


“What about you, then?” Miu asked, joining the group as well. “You are far from the ‘innocent, cute girl next door’ you’ve been acting as since this started, Maizono. Let it never be said that I haven’t been paying attention to my ‘assistant’.”

“You’re right, Iruma. I suppose it wouldn’t be fair if I asked people to be more honest with me and then didn’t repay that trust,” Sayaka admitted. “Then I think… I will try to let down my guard to more people.”    


“That is how we will stand strong against Monokuma’s future motives,” Chiaki said, the last to join in on the conversation. “As we let down our walls around each other, we find less reasons to suspect each other… I think.” 

“Hey, Nanamini! I solved the case faster than you!” Miu bragged. “So that means that I beat you!”    


“If it weren’t for you, then we wouldn’t have had critical clues that helped us solve the case.” Chiaki smiled at Miu. “So thank you for that, Iruma. I hope we can work together again soon.”   


“What the-?!” Miu’s face turned red. “You were supposed to bow before my excellence, not turn this into some kind of mushy-feely crap! What are you, Nanami?” 

“It appears that Chiaki’s abilities outstrip your own,” Gundham said, amused. “You will need to gain dark power of your own, vulgar blacksmith!” 

“Well done there, Miss Nanami! But after the trial you must be hungry, or thirsty,” Hifumi said. “I could get you something from the dining hall.”    


“Some food before we go to sleep might be good. Let’s have a meal together.” Chiaki said. 

_ As I followed behind the group, I was starting to feel better about the situation. I believed that if we worked together, then we’d be able to find a way to beat Monokuma, and escape together.  _

_ I should have been paying more attention. I should have noticed the person that had gone missing in all the conversation…  _

Kaede ate some light porridge while watching everyone else talk with each other. She herself was currently talking with Miu.    


“I do think you could make good friends with people here if you let them. I mean, I see myself as your friend, even if you don’t…” 

“This gorgeous girl genius has managed fine on her own, Kaeidiot!” Miu declared. “I don’t need anyone else. Especially when one of you dumbasses could get yourselves and everyone else killed!” 

“You keep saying that. But I think you’re starting the change, even if it’s just a little,” Kaede said optimiscally. “Because of Maizono, and Nanami, and everyone else.”    


Miu let out a heavy sigh, and seemed to be formulating a response. But before she could say anything else, the monitor in the dining hall suddenly turned on.    


The sight displayed there immediately caught everyone’s attention, for all the worst reasons: what looked like a large office area, inside of which was a large desk with an open drawer.    


But what had everyone’s attention was something else entirely: Rantaro, being gripped by the giant Exisal that Monokuma used.    


“Rantaro!” Kaede cried out, even if she subconsciously knew he couldn’t hear them.    


“Hello, everyone. I appear to be in a sticky situation,” Rantaro said, forcing a smile. “I decided to see if I could get away with entering the manager’s office for a second, with Monokuma distracted with the trial cleanup. I didn’t quite succeed, but I did find something useful.”    


It was then that Kaede noticed that Rantaro had a piece of paper in one of his hands. 

“Damnation! What possessed Amami to do something so reckless?” Gundham asked. 

On the monitor screen, Rantaro kept talking. “It’s about the true nature of this killing game. Turns out, there’s a reason why us sixteen were the ones picked to be here. After all, this group has one point of common ground: we all have someone more important to us than anyone else in the world.”   


“The grand prize of this killing game. But we already knew that,” Chiaki said. “Why did Amami risk his life for this information?”   


Almost as if he heard Chiaki, Rantaro continued. “The mastermind wants our desire for that prize to drive us all to our most desperate selves, and murder each other until only two of us are left. The entire time, we are being filmed, and I theorize that the purpose of this footage is-”    


“Stop right there!” Monokuma’s voice came from inside the Exisal. “I can’t have you give away everything at this juncture! Just a little clue to keep things moving. Besides which, entering the manager’s office is against the rules. And only one thing can happen to rulebreakers…”   


“No…” Sayaka whispered in utter horror, even as her eyes stayed fixed to the monitor.    


“Kaede. I only have one last thing to say to you. I’m sorry… for everything,” Rantaro said, his smile now distinctly regretful. “If I can do one last thing for you, it’s this: You truly did nothing wrong. You are not my murderer. And I hope that you can face my true killer one day, and-”    


That was the last thing that Rantaro said- in that moment, the Exisal squeezed it’s hand, and Rantaro’s torso seemed to explode in blood. Rantaro went limp, and the monitor switched off a second later.    


Yet all Kaede could do was keep staring at the blank screen, as if that could somehow change what she had just seen.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Kaede, a small change happened. Deep within the lab area of Kismet island’s peak, there was the mysterious room, with only a blue flame and the door guarding it. On the door, there were two numbers: Thirteen over two. 

**Chapter 2, Elegy to our Beloved: End**

**Surviving Students: 11**

**You received the Sewing Kit! A memento of Tsumugi Shirogane. A miniature sewing kit Tsumugi always carries with her, waiting for the day she runs into her soulmate. **

**To be continued. **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I imagine that the audience has a lot of thoughts about everything that has just transpired. Feel free to share them, as me and my team prepare what comes next. That includes the bonus scene for Chapter 2, so keep an eye out for that! It well come with an important announcement. See you next time! Please review.


	32. Chapter 2 Extra Scene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the bonus chapter that everyone earned for solving the second murder! This scene will go into everyone's feelings in the immediate aftermath of last chapter. I also have an announcement at the end of this. Enjoy, my readers!

Kaede felt as if the world had gone dark, and the feeling was suffocating. She couldn’t see anything, she couldn’t hear anything, she couldn’t feel anything- 

Wait, she could feel something. A warm feeling around her body, which cleared up the darkness little by little. When Kaede finally got her awareness back, she saw that the warmth was from Tenko who was currently hugging her. 

“Good, you seem to be coming back, Kaede!” Tenko exclaimed. “I don’t know what’s happening. But as soon as I entered the hall, I saw that you clearly needed a hug. So I gave you one!”    


“You could just admit that you wanted to hug a hot girl,” Miu said. Yet instead of jeering, Miu’s tone was more teasing. “You don’t have to deny it, Tenko.” 

“It’s not like that!” Tenko exclaimed, blushing. 

“...Iruma, not everyone has the same motivations as you,” Peko said dryly. She turned her attention to Kaede. “I’ve only just arrived, but I’ve gleaned that an unfortunate fate has befallen Amami.” 

All at once, Kaede could feel herself go cold again. To see Rantaro die so soon after Tsumugi also met a grisly end was too much. 

“It’s okay, Kaede. No one can blame you for feeling like you do right now,” Tenko said, now putting a hand on her shoulder. “If you need to cry, cry as much as you want.”    


“I’m not sure if I can even cry right now,” Kaede admitted. “It’s just… so unfair. To lose Rantaro again so soon, after finally being able to face him, and apologize for all I did to him.”    


Peko crossed her arms, her crimson gaze bearing down on Kaede. “I’m not very good at reassuring people. So the best I can say right now is that Amami left you a gift.”   


“You are talking about the fact that he claims that Akamatsu was not his killer, and it was in fact someone else,” Chiaki said, tugging at her hoodie. “I assume that Amami wanted to give her peace of mind.”

“Exactly. I think that Amami wanted to free you from your guilt once and for all,” Peko said. “Before it was too late.”   


“That doesn’t answer why the fuck Rantaro went and got himself killed!” Miu snapped. “He knew as well as anyone that going into the manager’s office was against the rules. So why did he do it?”

“Cool it, Miu. Those questions are important, but now is not the time to ask them.” Ryoma said. 

Ishimaru approached Kaede. “I have an idea of what you’re feeling right now, Kaede. Which is why I know you won’t be able to process all your feelings in a day.” Ishimaru put his hands on Kaito’s coat, which he still wore over his shoulders. “You should go to bed! A good night’s rest will make your mind feel refreshed! And I’ll be expecting you at breakfast first thing!” 

“Thank you, Taka.” Kaede at least felt like she wasn’t going to fall apart at any second. She decided to take his advice, and go to sleep. “I’m headed off to bed. Good night, everyone!”    


The other students wished her a good sleep, with varying levels of sympathy on their faces. Kaede left the dining hall, and headed to the dormitory. However, Kaede noticed that someone was following her. She stopped and turned around.    


The person turned out to be Miu. “Are you going to sleep too?” 

“There’s way too many inventions that I’m working on to spend my time sleeping!” Miu’s gaze burned into Kaede, before she asked, “You’re not going to do something stupid and die again, right?”    


The question shook Kaede to her core- it seemed like Rantaro’s death had affected the inventor after all, to make her ask this.    


“No, I’m not going to kill someone again, if that’s what you’re asking. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you before you finally believe me,” Kaede answered. “If for no other reason than because I don’t want to see everyone as… devastated as they were before my execution.”    


_ As devastated as I feel now, losing Rantaro again.  _ Kaede added in her head. 

“You’d better not!” To Kaede’s shock, Miu’s tone was lonely, and pleading. “It’s selfish of you to get into trouble on your own and then drag everyone else with you!

“Miu…” Before Kaede could say anything else, the inventor stormed off.    


_ All our conversations seemed to be like this. Just when it seems like I’m getting somewhere with you, you close yourself off.  _

Yet Kaede couldn’t think that too hard, because she still had Rantaro’s final words to think about.  _ When you told me that I really wasn’t your killer, did you mean that? I remember that you told me that many times. But this time, you made sure everyone heard you. _

Kaede didn’t know what was going to happen once the next day hit. Nothing would be the same, because of everything that had been learned.  _ If Pekoyama is right, and you wanted to give me a final gift… then I definitely won’t let it go to waste, Rantaro! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this scene closed, this story will go on break while Chapter 3 is being prepared. However, I have decided to try out a little experiment. My and my team have been using a Discord server to advance this project. I have decided to open this server to the public, so we can all talk about this story together. Here is the link: https://discord.gg/Tu3jrw  
You are free to accept or refuse this invitation. Either way, see you next time! Please review.


	33. Chapter 3, Daily Life I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we have arrived at the start of a new Chapter, and therefore a new area of this Grand Killing Game. After the previous trial, the remaining cast have to find a way to pick up the pieces. Enjoy, my readers!

_ “Hello! Didn’t think you’d see me again, did you?” _

_ Steely teal eyes gaze at me. _

_ “I got the jump on you last time. Since you beat me before, I guess that means that we’re tied!” _ _   
_

_ She coyly put her hand on her cheek. _ _   
_

_ “But all games have to draw to a close eventually. So how about a final round? One last dance between you and me.” _ _   
_

_ She chuckled lightly. _ _   
_

_ “Oh, don’t look so serious! I’m telling the truth this time. We’re best friends, after all.” _

_ _

Kaede knew that it wouldn’t take long for everyone to wake up. So she got up before even the morning announcement, and quietly went to the boy’s rooms on the second floor. First, she stopped at Nagito’s door. 

_ Nagito Komaeda… you seemed to believe yourself as worthless trash. But Nanami always believed in you as a friend. And I wanted to be your friend as well. Why… couldn’t you ever let someone in? _

Next, Kaede stopped at Rantaro’s door, and she felt her breathing grow ragged. _ Didn’t I tell you to not do anything rash? I suppose you never answered me. Still, I wanted us to make it out of this killing game together. Rantaro… I wanted you to tell us everything you knew yourself, because you trusted us. _

Getting away from Rantaro’s door as soon as possible, she went back downstairs, but not to her own room. Instead, Kaede stopped at Tsumugi’s door. _ Tsumugi… you should not have been forced into such a desperate corner. It’s so unfair that you’re gone because of terrible luck. Still, I will put an end to this as soon as I can, so this never happens to anything else. And Tanaka and Yamada… will carry your memory. _

After that, Kaede returned to her room, but only to get dressed. Shortly after this, the morning announcement rang, and she heard everyone else start to leave their rooms. 

Kaede left as well, following the rest of the students outside of the dormitories. 

It was clearly the last time, because the Monokuma Exisal was waiting for them. “Good morning, my precious students!” Monokuma said from inside the Exisal. “As they say, the early bird gets the worm! So we’re going to get to the new area as early as possible!”

“This seems a little extreme!” Tenko cried out. “Why are you forcing us to leave here so soon?” 

“I don’t remember asking for any questions,” Monokuma said in an angry tone. He waved the gun arm of the Exisal threateningly. “So you are going to get your butts to the elevator, and you’re going to like it!”

There was no arguing with a weapon pointed in your face, even if a part of Kaede wanted to argue anyways. Even so, the surviving students begrudgingly made their way to the main elevator. 

Kaede noticed that several people had prize capsules with them: Miu, Sayaka, Chiaki, and Hifumi. 

As everyone entered the large elevator, Kaede decided to strike up a conversation. “So Miu, what do you have with you?” 

“A bunch of raw material that I’m going to shape and pound into my next brilliant invention!” Miu declared. “In fact, this isn’t even all of it! My assistant has more of my materials. But I’ve got my Mobile Voyeur with me, so don’t get any funny ideas!” 

“After how it gave us a clue in the last murder, of course the Mobile Voyeuer isn’t going to be left behind,” Sayaka said. “But I believe there was an unfinished discussion about the best way to use it.” 

_ Yeah, Nanami was the one that brought it up. Speaking of Nanami… _ “So what do you have with you?” 

“My Funplane, of course. And the handheld Funplane I had with me before I ended up on this island,” Chiaki answered. She paused, as if considering her words, before saying, “Yamada offered to carry some of my stuff, so he has all my games for both systems.” 

“I made sure that only games were in this capsule, and not anything else!” Hifumi said, following it up nervously with, “Not that I think Miss Nanami would ever do anything dishonest!” 

In the midst of the conversation, the students had entered the elevator, which was now headed downwards, to a new section of the island. The oppressive feeling was a lot like being ferried to a trial ground. 

“I don’t know if now is the right time to bring it up, but I’d like to talk about what happened,” Tenko suddenly said. “I’m sure everyone is processing their feelings about so many deaths. I know I haven’t yet, but that’s why it might be good to talk it out together!” 

“You are baring your own feelings as an offering so others may feel comfortable doing the same. That is bold of you,” Korekiyo said. “In a zero sum game like this, most people wouldn’t intentionally leave themselves open.”

“Are you making fun of me?” Tenko asked, glaring at Korekiyo. 

“Just the opposite. I think being so ill-suited for a killing game is interesting in its own way,” Korekiyo said, contemplative. “I wonder if it has to do with your presence here…”

“There is a lot to talk about,” Ryoma said, cutting off Tenko before she could say anything else. “But now might not be the time. We should wait until we get a good grasp of our new situation.”

Almost as if responding to Ryoma’s words, the elevators stopped, and opened their doors to welcome the students to the new area. 

Stepping out, Kaede immediately noticed two things: There only seemed to be a single path leading to the building in front of them, and the building itself appeared to be made of some kind of shiny chrome, in contrast to the casino-themed building and wooden buildings of their previous locations. 

As always, the group slowly formed into smaller groups and scattered, leaving Kaede with a group consisting of Chiaki, Miu, and Sayaka. 

“We’ve reached a new level. If the pattern so far stays consistent, this area is going to have an entire new theme,” Chiaki said. “But I’m sure this party is ready to take on any challenge waiting for us.”

“You’re a lot more animated than you usually are, Nanami. It’s actually really cute.” Sayaka said, giggling. 

“Because I’m sure that everyone else is doing their best too. It makes me want to try harder,” Chiaki said, getting very worked up for how laid back she usually was. “Even in co-op games, you can’t help but be a little competitive.” 

“You know, even I’m starting to get a little excited,” Miu said, looking at the building in front of them. “Something about this place is making me feel all tingly.” 

“How about we actually go inside then,” Kaede said. “I’m sure we can find out more once we do!” 

The group of four entered, and found themselves in what appeared to be the dormitories for the area. It only had one floor this time, and all 11 doors were in a single file on the left wall, while the right wall was blank. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason for the room locations. 

“The doors don’t seem to have any handles,” Miu said, inspecting the one to her room. “Instead, there seems to be a sensor next to them…” 

Miu took out her Monopad, and waved it in front of the sensor. With a beeping noise, the door swung up. “Booyah! My genius strikes yet again!” 

_ I’m sure everyone else would have figured it out too. _Out loud, Kaede said, “We used keys to enter our rooms before. So why the sudden upgrade in technology?”

“That is a valid concern. But…” Sayaka swung her Monopad in front of Miu’s door sensor, and nothing happened. “It looks like you can’t enter a room that isn’t your own. I know how this is going to sound, but that makes me feel safer.” 

“Thanks for trying that out so I didn’t have to bother, Sayaka. It saved me the time!” Miu said. When the other three girls stared at her, she asked, “What? Was it something I said?”

“That’s the first time you’ve ever said my name,” Sayaka said, smiling. “Does that mean I can use yours, Miu?”

“You’re probably feeling wet that I deigned to speak your name. If you want it to keep happening, then you’d better earn it!” Miu exclaimed. 

Kaede could only shake her head, thinking, _ One day you’ll be able to admit that you want to be friends with someone, Miu. I hope for your sake it happens sooner rather than later. _

“As much as I want to see where this conversation is going, I do have a teeny correction to make.” 

By now, no one was shocked by Monokuma appearing out of the blue. “So you’re going to give us information about the dorm rooms, then.” 

“That’s right, Kaede! It’s about what Miss Pop Sensation said,” Monokuma said, pointing at Sayaka with one of his claws. “Now, it’s true that each room is coded to open to that person’s Monopad. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for someone to enter a room that isn’t theirs.” 

“Huh? Like how?” Sayaka asked, looking nervous. 

“That’s for me to know and an enterprising Blackened to figure out!” Right after, Monokuma left. 

“Monokuma is already planting the seeds for the next murder,” Chiaki said in a concerned tone. “We should keep a look out for other details like this.” 

“Before we keep going, it might be a good idea for you and Miu to drop off your stuff from the casino,” Kaede said. “Then see what else is here.” 

Thankfully Miu didn’t feel like being difficult, so after everyone put their unneeded possessions in their respective rooms, the group followed the path forward. 

After a short area outside, they came upon another door, which led into the dining hall for this area. 

In line with the high-tech theme, the dining hall had several chrome tables with benches around them. In the back of the dining hall, there appeared to be a buffet line, with screens on the walls. 

In the dining hall was Ishimaru and Ryoma, which was certainly an unusual combination. Sayaka, Miu, and Chiaki kept going, so Kaede stayed behind to talk to the boys. 

“Hello, Taka and Ryoma! Do you understand how this new dining hall works?” Kaede asked. 

“From my observations, you choose the meal you want on the screens,” Ishimaru said, pointing to one of the screens that showed a breakfast of toast and jam. “After that, the food will be prepared on the spot!” 

“We’ve had to make our own food up until now, but it’s different this time,” Kaede observed. “I only wish I knew why the areas change like they do. But knowing Monokuma, I’m not sure how much I’d trust the answer.”

“If there’s even a reason in the first place. It wouldn’t surprise me if Monokuma’s actions were guided by his pique.” Ryoma said bitterly. 

It was at this point that Kaede noticed that Ryoma, at his height, could not reach any of the screens, and the bitter tone made complete sense. But Kaede also decided not to say anything to spare Ryoma’s dignity. 

Instead, Kaede kept looking around, and noticed a soda fountain at the end of the buffet line. Looking at the options, there seemed to be different flavors of soda, as well as an option for plain old water. 

“I only hope that none of this is poisoned,” Kaede said, looking at the soda fountain dubiously. “But I’m not sure if I want to risk trying out each option.”

“I will try them out if no one else will!” Ishimaru volunteered. 

“I don’t think that’s necessary, kid,” Ryoma said. “The mastermind likely wants to avoid deaths that are outside the killing game.” 

While Ryoma’s point was valid, it also reminded Kaede of the exception to that rule, Rantaro. _ I hope the time to talk about it is soon. I’m not sure how long I can keep this to myself. _

“It doesn’t look like there’s anything else here. You guys stay safe!” Kaede said to Ryoma and Ishimaru, before continuing to walk forward. 

This time, there was a longer path outside. The path went up a slight incline, at the top of which was the biggest building yet, at three stories tall. It made from an intimidating atmosphere, having the building looming above Kaede. 

At the front door was Korekiyo and Peko. 

“I’d like to hear your perspective as an anthropologist, Kiyo,” Kaede said as she approached them. “Is there anything about this area so far that has your attention?”

“Not as such. It’s clear that so far, we have seen what Monokuma wants us to see,” Korekiyo answered. “What I seek is to find if there is anything we aren’t meant to see.”

“In other words, find an area of this place that has been untouched by Monokuma,” Peko speculated. “It’s possible that this island wasn’t always under his control.” 

“Oh, I didn’t think of that!” Kaede considered that this could explain why each area was so wildly different. “Then… are the areas so different to distract us from something else?”

“That is very possible, Kaede. Of course, the best way to confirm it is to see it with your own eyes,” Korekiyo said, his voice soft and raspy. “And not be scared if what you see is not what you expect.”

Trying her best to ignore how creepy those words sounded, Kaede followed Korekiyo and Peko into the building. Monokuma was already waiting for them. 

“You are the last students to arrive here. Perhaps that’s a bad omen.” Monokuma spread out his arms as wide as he could. “Regardless, welcome to the Kismet Island Laboratory!” 

“Oh! I guess that explains the design of everything so far.” The inside of the laboratory looked just as futuristic as everywhere else. Kaede noticed that the entrance hall they were standing in branched off into other rooms. 

“This place is well stocked with all kinds of tools and equipment that can be used in a murder!” Monokuma declared proudly. “You could walk into most any room, and find anything that fits your style! Well, except for that one.” 

Monokuma pointed to what looked like an old door, which stuck out in the chrome surroundings. Without explaining it, Monokuma continued, “If you keep walking forward, then you’ll find the elevators to the trial ground, and the ones that will take you to the next level. Of course, you’ll have to earn the right to use them!” 

“...After all, the situation hasn’t changed. We are still trapped on a mountain, behind a wall,” Peko said. “The only way to get further down the mountain is to commit murder.” 

“Puhuhuhu, I figured that a former Blackened would pick up on that,” Monokuma said. “Have you considered trying again? You might be able to succeed this time…” 

Peko stared at the spot where Monokuma used to be. After a great amount of thought, she said, “I have no intention of becoming a Blackened again. I… must hold onto that thought, with all my strength. Because failure would mean the end of my life, and any hope of finding…” 

The swordswoman fell silent, apparently no longer in the mood of sharing her thoughts. Still, that was more than usual, so Kaede said, “We all have our reasons for wanting to leave this island. Still, I at least want to be able to leave with everyone.”

Even if at this point “everyone” meant eleven of them, as opposed to the sixteen they started out with. 

“...” Peko didn’t answer verbally, but she certainly seemed to be contemplating Kaede’s words. 

“Do you believe that Monokuma drew our attention to the one door that does not fit in because he wants us to go there?” Korekiyo wondered out loud. “As a form of reverse psychology?”

“Instead of spending our time worried about mind games, we should do it on our own terms.” Kaede headed to the old looking door, and opened it. At first, Kaede thought that the room on the other side was empty. Then she spotted a small pedestal with an engraved tablet on it. The engraving was incomplete, a jagged break at the bottom. 

Looking at the engraving closer, Kaede read, “The history of Kismet Island goes back centuries, when the temple of Kismet was founded on the peak of the mountain. This mountain has always been a place where the border between this world and the next is unusually thin. Monks and priestesses of the temple have watched over this mountain ever since. The future head of the temple, Kikiyo Ami, is the Ultimate Spirit Medium at-” 

This is where the engraving cut off, to Kaede’s frustration. “Ugh, all I have is more questions. For all I know, Monokuma faked this and planted it here.”

“I could assuage that concern, at least,” Korekiyo said from behind Kaede, causing the pianist to almost jump out of her skin. 

“Ahhh! Don’t scare me like that, Kiyo!” Kaede shouted. 

“My apologies, Kaede,” Korekiyo said, chuckling and not sounding very sorry. He approached the engraving and studied it, running his fingers over the stone. After a long while, he said, “It is my opinion that this stone is real. Or if it’s a fake, it’s the best that I’ve ever seen.” 

“Is that your observation as an anthropologist?” Peko asked, who was now standing at the doorway. 

“The sediment of this stone shows clear signs of aging. The smell of this room is one that has not been inhabited for a long time,” Korekiyo said. “I do not believe these aspects could be replicated.”  
  
“If you say that’s the case, then I suppose we’ll believe it for now,” Kaede said. “We should probably tell everyone about this later.” 

“The person listed on this engraving, ‘the Ultimate Spirit Medium’. That name does not sound familiar to me,” Peko said. “There wasn’t one in my class, nor do I remember hearing of one in another class.” 

“Of the sixteen people in my class, there wasn’t anyone like that either,” Kaede said. “So then what does this mean?”

There didn’t seem to be an answer, just another mystery to add to the pile. But Kaede refused to let this get to her. 

_ If I keep investigating this lab, I may find the answers! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we are getting into the meat of the overall plot of this story. From the beginning, two questions have hung in the air: How are the previously dead characters back again, and how is everyone together despite being from different schools? As always, there is a poll for the FTEs for this chapter. Make sure to vote here: https://www.strawpoll.me/20005894 See you next time! Please review.


	34. Chapter 3, Daily Life II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second half of the new area exploration is here! This is where I'm going to put most of the important details for the events to follow. Including a shakeup to the usual series conventions. Enjoy, my readers!

With the mysteries of the engraved tablet still fresh in her mind, Kaede decided to check out another room of the laboratory. Her next destination was a door that had a  bio hazard symbol on it. 

On the other side of the door, Kaede saw that it appeared to be a chemistry area, with equipment such as bunsen burners, gloves, and safety goggles. Beakers with brightly colored liquids were everywhere, each of them labeled, though Kaede couldn’t make heads or tails of the names.

Korekiyo and Peko had followed them into the room, so Kaede asked them, “Do any of us have the knowledge to use this equipment?”

“It appears that Monokuma thought of that ahead of time.” Peko pointed to a table that had a large book on it. “That seems to be an instruction manual.”

“Knowledge is power. So I would prefer to be well equipped, myself.” Korekiyo approached the book, and skimmed through the pages. Eventually, he said, “These are indeed instructions to take the chemicals and combine them into whatever a killer may need.”    


“Just knowing that this exists means that people are going to be paranoid about people poisoning their food,” Kaede said, shuddering. “Do you think we can destroy the book?”

“Monokuma would likely replace it. Incidentally, there are not only lethal poisons here,” Korekiyo continued. “There are also instructions to make poisons that trigger diarrhea, to create formaldehyde, and to induce any number of afflictions on a person.”    


“Okay, we don’t need to learn more!” Kaede quickly said. “Let’s please move on from this room!” 

“You have not had to deal with situations that required this knowledge, Akamatsu,” Peko said. “You are lucky.”    


The group of three exited the room. Korekiyo split off from them, wanting to study the engraved tablet more. So Peko and Kaede explored the first floor more.    


As they walked around, Peko suddenly said, “You lied for me, during the previous class trial.”    


Kaede knew this would come up eventually. “The way I saw it, you were sincere when you told me before that you did not plan to kill Komaeda. So bringing up the fact that you considered it would just cause pointless arguments. I did not want the class trial to go in circles, so I decided to not mention it.”   


“A very calculated decision, considering that you lied. Yet, it did save everyone in the end,” Peko said, contemplative. “I… did not realize I had people that would go to such lengths for me. Or like Tenko, who fought on my behalf out of a sincere belief in me.”   


“I’d really like to avoid lying more, if I can help it,” Kaede confessed. “But I would rather believe in people than suspect them. So yes, I choose to believe in you.”    


“In my previous killing game, a lot of my classmates wanted to be friends with me. Yet, I did not allow it to happen,” Peko said quietly. “I suppose it’s only natural that none of my classmates that ended up here with me would trust me.”    


“It’s not too late. You’ve already made one new friend in Tenko, and I’m sure your classmates will give you a chance if you ask!” Kaede exclaimed optimistically. “You’re still alive, after all!”

“As long as you’re alive, it’s not too late…” Before Peko elaborated further, she spotted something. “Akamatsu, look at this.”    


Peko pointed to a small, perfectly square hatch in the wall. Kaede cautiously took the handle, and opened the hatch. On the other side, Kaede saw cables of some kind. 

“This appears to be a dumbwaiter,” Peko said. “Although it’s not on this floor.”    


“Wait, there appears to be a plaque with instructions here!” Kaede read the writing: “‘This dumbwaiter can only be operated at the third floor.’ Wait, that’s weirdly specific.”    


“It is probably Monokuma that’s responsible for this. And there are better ways to spend time than trying to figure out why he does anything.” Peko said disdainfully. 

“I can agree with you there.” Kaede noticed that there was one last room on this floor. Having come this far, she entered the room to see what was inside… 

And immediately regretted it. The room was filled with arms and legs that looked to have been taken from people. In her shock, Kaede let out a scream that brought Peko and Korekiyo running.    


“Of all the tasteless things that I’ve seen in my life, this is definitely up there,” Peko said, but otherwise showed no reaction. “What a crude display.”    


Korekiyo also showed no visible reaction. Instead, he approached a pair of arms, and squeezed one of them. “These are not real body parts.”    


“If they’re not real body parts, then what are they?” Kaede asked, her heart hammering in her chest. “They look so real!”   


“That, I cannot be too sure. However, I feel what is undeniably steel under the skin of the body parts,” Korekiyo said. “So perhaps there is a purpose to all of this.”    


“You can look into that, if you want.” Personally, Kaede already felt done with everything on this floor.  _ It might also be a good idea to ask Miu to investigate this.  _

After bidding Peko and Korekiyo goodbye, Kaede found the stairs to the next floor, and climbed up them. The second floor appeared to be one, long hallway, ending at a dead end, and three doors on the right wall. Already on the second floor were Chiaki and Tenko. 

“Greetings, Akamatsu. Are you here to take part in the challenges too?” Chiaki asked excitedly.    


“It’s unusual to see you so excited, Nanami.” Kaede noted, amused. 

“See the doors, Kaede? They can only be opened if you beat the challenge described on them!” Tenko explained. “And it appears to have ignited Nanami’s competitive spirit!” 

Kaede inspected the doors, and at a glance saw what Tenko meant: One door required you to solve a riddle, another had a complicated algebra problem on it, and the last required you to draw Monokuma identical to a sample picture provided.    


“Then that means there is more to this floor,” Kaede muttered to herself. “And the dumbwaiter instructions mentioned a third floor. So are the stairs behind these challenges?”   


“If you really want to know, I could tell you,” Monokuma said, at Kaede’s feet. “The next floor is indeed normally locked off by my nine challenge rooms!”    


“Nine of them? Then beating one of these first three challenge rooms means you have to go through more,” Chiaki said. “But you said ‘normally’. What’s different right now?”    


“I have unlocked all challenge rooms so my precious students can explore to their heart’s content,” Monokuma said. “But from tomorrow onward, you have to earn your right to be able to get everything that this floor offers!” 

Monokuma left, and right after Chiaki said, “Then that means I won’t be able to beat the challenges? That’s a shame.” The gamer was actually pouting. 

“If you want, I could play games with you later, Nanami!” Tenko offered. “After we investigate as much as we can!”    


“I appreciate the offer, Chabashira.” Chiaki said, smiling. “Then let’s explore this floor together.”    


From there, the group entered the doors, with Kaede going into the middle door. There was only a small room with three doors around her. They all had different, new challenges, but in a similar vein of “riddle, math, and drawing”. Kaede decided to keep going straight, and found yet another small room with yet more challenges.    


“Geez! This seems really excessive!” Kaede  grumbled , annoyed. She decided to go straight one last time- this time, she exited into another corridor, this one containing the stairs to the next floor and another room.    


Kaede could not see Tenko or Chiaki, and considered the idea that they were in the mysterious room, so she entered inside.    


Quickly, Kaede felt sick to her stomach, because this room was filled with life-li k e human heads. There were male and female heads alike, with many different designs to them. Tenko and Chiaki were in the room, and both looked upset. 

“I have not played horror games very often. So perhaps there are horror games with scenarios worse than this,” Chiaki said, looking shaken. “Yet I don’t want to imagine that.”    


“Ugh, I can only imagine the degenerate male responsible for making this room,” Tenko said, disgust clear on her face. “They deserve a sharp chop on their head!”    


“Hmm…” As rattled as Kaede felt, her mind was also spinning. “Downstairs, there is a room full of arms and legs. Will there be a similar room upstairs? Because that would make a clear pattern.”    
  
“Given that this place is based on a laboratory, is this supposed to bring human experimentation in mind?” Chiaki asked, her expression grim.    


“We are definitely not allowing this thought to get in to our heads!” Tenko declared firmly.    


Kaede felt that she could agree with that. “Follow me upstairs. I would feel better if I had you guys with me.”    


Thankfully Chiaki and Tenko did follow her, and so the three of them arrived at the last floor. What filled Kaede’s sight was immediately the most intimidating vision so far: A large machine that was shaped like a human body, with cables coming out from behind the machine into the nearby wall.   


Already in the room was everyone else that Kaede hadn’t seen: Sayaka, Ryoma, Gundham, and Miu, with Miu studying the machine closely. Off to the left, Kaede saw the hatch for the dumbwaiter, along with what seemed to be a button to control it. Of the right, a door that Kaede presumed would lead to another room full of body parts.   


Kaede was most curious about the machine, and so decided to talk with Miu first. “Do you have an idea of what that machine is, Miu?”    


“It’s very bad news, is what it is,” Miu said. Kaede noticed that the inventor was so focused, she didn’t even throw in any insults. “I’m not sure what it does yet, but what I do know is that it uses massive quantities of electricity.” 

“In other words, enough electricity to kill a person,” Sayaka said quietly. “So this is some kind of murder weapon?”

“I’ll have to really get into this machine’s innards to answer that question,” Miu said. “And I am looking forward to that challenge!” 

“No, don’t you dare man-handle my precious machine!” Monokuma shouted, appearing at the top of it. 

“Monokuma. Are you here to give your own explanation about the machine, then?” Ryoma asked.    


“It’s better that you hear it from your headmaster! As it happens, everyone is here, which will make it easier!”    


Kaede turned around, to see that indeed everyone that had been exploring the lower floors had made their way here.    


Monokuma affectionately patted the machine below him. “What you see here is none other than the ‘Monokuma’s Miracle Machine’, and it’s the next motive!”    


“The new motive already? You’ve never introduced it during the first day of a new area,” Korekiyo said, sounding intrigued. “Does that mean that you wish for a murder to happen much faster this time around?”    
  
“Why do you sound so excited by that idea?!” Ishimaru asked, horrified. 

“That will be entirely up to my precious students, of course. For today, I cleared the path to this place so anyone could get through,” Monokuma explained. “But starting tomorrow, you have to earn your right to get here, by beating the challenge rooms on the second floor! Only then, can you learn the true purpose of this Miracle Machine, and decide if you want to make use of it!”    


“Then you aren’t going to tell us what this thing does? Because that doesn’t make it much of a motive.” Kaede pointed out.    


“Are you sure about that? Because sometimes, the appeal of the unknown draws people in like a guppy to a lantern fish!” Monokuma declared. “Oh, but that does mean I need to establish something first.”    


Everyone’s Monopads beeped, to read the following: “ **Temporary Rule 1: Students are banned from disassembling the Miracle Machine, or learning its purpose through unapproved methods.** ”

This was followed by the sound of Miu swearing profusely, and for once, Kaede couldn’t blame her. The inventor’s skill would have been useful for gaining knowledge against the motive, but the idea was dead before it had a chance. 

“But believe me, this machine will be something you want to use,” Monokuma continued. “Because it’s fantastical abilities-”    


“Why should we believe you?”    


All attention was drawn to Tenko by her question. The aikido master kept talking, “I’ve been thinking non-stop about Rantaro’s final words since I learned about them yesterday. I know I’m not the smartest, so I could be wrong here…”   


“Don’t undercut your own point before you make it, Tenko,” Peko said. “You often tell others to express themselves freely, don’t you? You should do the same.”    


“That is exactly what I needed to hear, Peko!” Taking a deep breath, Tenko pushed forward, saying, “ Rantaro’s final words were that Kaede did not kill him. But… we had an entire class trial about Rantaro’s original murder, and everyone voted for Kaede, even me… and Monokuma declared that we voted correctly. Yet, Rantaro’s words yesterday completely go against that!”    


“The deceased wanderer would be the sole person that would know his own killer better than anyone. So there is no reason to disbelieve his parting message to us,” Gundham said thoughtfully. “And yet, the bare-handed warrior speaks true. In every class trial, one rule has remained constant- an erroneous judgement would bring the curtain down on everyone.”    


“So this is the true nature of his final words. Amami is suggesting that his true killer succeeded in walking free from a class trial,” Chiaki said. “And that would shake the very foundation of the killing game.” 

Kaede didn’t know what to believe anymore- for every day since her class trial, she was haunted by the sight of Rantaro’s deady body, and the knowledge that she was responsible. She never considered any other possibility, and yet… 

Despite the serious subject matter, Monokuma hardly seemed rattled, though it was hard to tell with his robotic face. “It seems everyone is getting far too worked up by the words of a failure. But if you don’t believe me, why don’t you ask his true killer?”    


Monokuma looked straight at Kaede, which drew everyone else’s attention to her too. Monokuma continued, “Can you think of any way that someone besides you was the killer?”    


Kaede hugged herself, being forced to recall that case. “...No, I can’t. It was me, and me alone that planned every aspect of the murder. I never told anyone else any details, so I don’t know who else would be able to do the same thing as me.”    


“Then are you saying that Rantaro was yanking his final words out of his ass?” Miu asked. “Because that’s all we’re left with if what you’re saying is true!” 

“Yet, for what reason would Rantaro have to lie about it? He would gain nothing from the act,” Korekiyo pointed out. “What a curious mystery we have on our hands.”    


“There is no mystery here! Kaede admitted to being the Blackened that killed him, and she was executed!” Monokuma shouted. “Instead of thinking about something pointless like that, you should watch out for yourselves. If you let your guard down in a killing game, then you’ll have no one to blame but yourself if you die!”    


With that, Monokuma left, with the surviving students still having their eyes on Kaede.    


“Miss Akamatsu, you seem so sure that you killed Mister Amami. Just what exactly happened during your killing game?” Hifumi asked, sweating.    


“Kaede, if you don’t want to talk about this in detail, that’s understandable,” Tenko said. “And I’ll smack anyone that makes a big deal about it!”

“No, you don’t have to do that, Tenko.” There was no running from it anymore. Kaede had to face her crime in full, in a room where most of the people knew nothing about it. So she started to talk about it, and didn’t stop until she outlined everything- setting up the library to be part of the trap, using the shotput ball as a weapon, the day of the murder with every step that Kaede took before Rantaro’s body was found. 

The rest of the students listened to Kaede until the end. Varying levels of disbelief crossed everyone’s face, with the exception of Kaede’s classmates that had seen it first hand. When Kaede drew her explanation to a close…    


“I think I see why your classmates still look up to you, after everything,” Sayka said quietly. “Until the very end, you only had saving them in your mind.”    


“Look how that turned out. Half of them ended up here anyways,” Kaede said bitterly. “And I still can’t keep people from dying.”    


“That burden is heavy… far too heavy,” Ryoma said. “If you do not want to buckle under that weight, you should share it with us.”    


Of all the students, Peko had her eyes closed during Kaede’s entire explanation. With her eyes still closed, she said, “If we are considering the possibility that there was another killer, then consider this. Once you rolled the shotput ball in the vent, you have no way of confirming what happened to it after that. You did not see yourself that your weapon killed the victim.” 

“I guess that’s true.” Kaede recalled what Chiaki had said- that if another killer had existed, and they escaped the crime, it would call the entire killing game into question. 

_ I still can’t think of how else the crime could have happened. But if pursuing this is how I beat this whole sick game, then I will pursue it to the end! _ _   
_

“Are you all done chattering about Rantaro? Because I have something important to say!” Miu suddenly cut in.    


“That’s really not the nicest way to go about it,” Sayaka said. “What happened to Amami is important too.”    


“We can talk about it more later. But we have a problem now,” Miu said impatiently. She pointed to the Monokuma’s Miracle Machine. “From what little I managed to learn, that machine uses amounts of electricity that will fry you to a crisp!”   


“Yet Monokuma believed that there would be a compelling reason to use it,” Gundham said. He cocked his head towards EntB on his shoulder. “What do you think, my servant?”   


EntB chirped into Gundham’s ear in return, this sight of which seemed to annoy Miu. “I’m making it clear right now- if everyone is serious about not dying, then we are never using this machine! If someone does, I’ll smack them so hard I’ll knock them into next week!”   


“That sounds like something Chabashira would normally say!” Ishimaru cried out. “I’ve never seen you this serious, Iruma!”   


“Because I’m the Ultimate Inventor! I know that you plebs don’t listen to me often, but if you’re going to do it once, do it now!” Miu exclaimed. “No one is to use this machine for any reason!” 

“But how do we know that you aren’t planning to use this machine behind everyone else’s backs?” Hifumi asked.    


“Oh, so just because I did it before, you think I’m going to do it again?!” Miu snapped. A moment later, Miu realized what she’d let slip out, but the damage had been done: the air turned frigid.    


_ Miu… what happened to you after I died?  _ Kaede wondered to herself. Ever since meeting her again on this island, Kaede had a feeling that Miu was concealing a wound in her heart.    


“I think we need to take a break from talking for today,” Sayaka suggested gently. “We’re still reeling from yesterday’s trial, and we’ve been given a lot of information on top of that. I’m sure that we’ll feel much more refreshed and ready to take this on in the morning!”    


Sayaka ended off with a wink, which to Kaede at least to lift the mood did little. Slowly, the students left the lab area, to make the trek down three floors to the bottom. But two people didn’t leave right away. 

The first was Tenko, who looked at Miu with a contemplative expression. “I know we didn’t talk much before, and we didn’t get off on the right foot this time. But… I want to get to know you. So maybe we can start over!”    


“Do whatever you want, Tencrotch. And if this is just an excuse to get into my panties, I might consider it!” Miu exclaimed. Tenko ended up leaving with her face burning red.    


Next to approach was Chiaki. “I do agree with you. Anything that Monokuma wants us to use can’t be good. So we can put our heads together tomorrow, to beat this motive!”    


“Just don’t be too slow, Nanamini, or I’ll leave you behind!” After Chiaki left, Kaede found that she was alone with Miu.    


“I’m not surprised that you ended up having secrets, Miu. Who doesn’t? But I think that we can still get along,” Kaede said, putting on her best smile. “No matter what you did, I’ll do my best to be there for you!”    


“...Tch, you have some nerve, saying that after leaving me before.” Miu left the room, though she did give Kaede one last glance.    


Kaede followed behind her, already making plans for how to best approach the situation tomorrow.

**Monokuma Theater**

“Everyone knows the story of Frankenstein, right? It’s the story of an ungrateful creature that didn’t know how to appreciate what it had!”    


“Sure, Mr. Frankenstein didn’t provide the creature with anything. But it still had a fully functional adult body and an entire world to explore.”    


“And what did the creature do? Spent most of its time sulking near a blind person’s house, then destroyed Mr. Frankenstein’s entire life.” 

“That’s no way to show appreciation for being given the gift of life!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that we've reached this point, next chapter is going to start the FTEs! So get in some last minute votes if you want, and look forward to seeing the favorite get spotlighted with Kaede. See you next time! Please review.


	35. Chapter 3, Daily Life III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is back in earnest! I hope to be able to have more consistent publishing, at least until the body discovery. But I am getting ahead of myself. Our students have a lot to talk about, considering the complicated situation at hand. Enjoy, my readers!

_ Hey, did you hear? Our school has an Ultimate Hope now, and pretty easy on the eyes, too!” _ _   
_

_ “But after everything that happened, I hope they’re doing okay. It’s the first time our school has gone through something so horrible.” _ _   
_

_ “You always worry too much! But maybe our school will finally get some damn prestige! I already bring a lot of it, of course, but I can’t do all the work around here!”  _ _   
_

_ “Yeah, yeah, you’re hardworking and amazing and you want to hear other people say it. But aren’t you tired of being like that all the time? If you want to do less work, then maybe you should spend more time with me…” _

* * *

Kaede opened her eyes, the voices still lingering in her mind.  _ Another one of those dreams. About me being in a school with someone else. And talking about an Ultimate Hope? _ _   
_

That got Kaede to recall how Nagito Komaeda always seemed to ramble on about hope, but a definition that only he seemed to understand.  _ Ugh, there’s already going to be so much to talk about when the group gets together, for more to get added on top of it. _

Regardless, Kaede got dressed and left her room, to head to the new communal dining hall. 

Upon arriving there, she saw that a few people were already there: Gundham, Chiaki, and Ryoma, all sitting at one table. Gundham and Chiaki were eating some breakfast, while Ryoma didn’t have anything in front of him. 

“Good morning!” Kaede called out. “Is everyone else still in bed?”    


“Indeed, maiden of the ivory keys. However, I would also like to form a conclave with others.” Gundham gestured to his company around him. “To discuss how we’ll deal with the vulgar blacksmith.”    


“Wait, you mean Miu?” Kaede suddenly had a very bad feeling. “But she hasn’t done anything wrong.”    


“That but an illusion that she has crafted until now! You heard her yesterday- in the past, she has abused her dark magic in her previous killing game!” 

“Gundham, you are jumping to conclusions. It can’t be denied that Iruma might have done something wrong previously,” Chiaki said. “However, what does that make you, and me? We’re both Blackened.” 

“If you choose to distrust someone based on something like that, then there are also people like me here,” Ryoma said. “Who has killed even outside the context of the killing game. Is that worth condemning too?”    


Gundham’s eyes narrowed, and Ent-B started to screech furiously.    


“Hey, maybe we shouldn’t gang up on him!” Kaede said quickly. “Tanaka was only making a suggestion to help end the killing. But there’s no easy answer to that!”   


Gundham’s gaze fell on Kaede. “Then there is you. Who always promote unity, yet keeps their cards close to their chest. You, who decided to act entirely on your own when backed against the wall.”   


“I am done apologizing for that! No matter what the truth of that case ends up being, Rantaro chose to let it go and focus on beating this new killing game,” Kaede said. “So I’m going to do the same. Starting with making sure everyone doesn’t tear each other apart because of what happened in the past!”    


“That is a good way of putting it, Akamatsu. But the past shouldn’t be ignored either,” Chiaki said. “So when everyone else arrives, we should discuss it together.”    


Kaede decided to grab some breakfast to eat while they waited for everyone else to arrive. Tenko was the first, who made an immediate beeline to the food machines and got herself a bowl of tripe hot pot. 

_ Does Tenko ever eat anything else?  _ Kaede thought to herself, amused.    


Tenko also got a plate of eggs and toast, which she carried over to Ryoma, before placing it in front of him. “If you’ve already eaten, then that’s fine! But it’s never good to see someone not eating!”    


“You gave Peko breakfast too, a few days ago,” Chiaki noted. “You look out for others, Chabashira.”    


“I mean, I’m not very good at solving mysteries. So I always want to do what I can!” Tenko exclaimed. Then her expression fell. “Even with all my training, I haven’t been able to stop anyone from dying.”    


“Tenko…” Kaede could hear the sadness in her voice.    


“Good morning, everyone!” Sayaka said as she entered the dining hall. She looked around at everyone else. “The mood seems to be pretty down. I haven’t warmed up my vocal cords yet, so the best I can offer is a bright smile.”    


Sayaka beamed at the room at large, and Kaede could feel the room become warmer.    


“Wow! Your idol power is something else, Maizono!” Tenko exclaimed cheerfully.    


“We have a very important conversation ahead of us,” Sayaka said, much more seriously. “So we need to be at our best before we start.”    


On that note, the rest of the students filtered into the dining hall, getting breakfast and seating themselves at different tables. Miu entered last, and as soon as she did, the air filled with suspicion.    


Kaede knew that it had to be brought up eventually. To control the flow, she said, “Is there anything you want to tell us, Miu?”    


“You have some nerve, fucking me in plain view of everyone else!” Miu snapped. “Why should I have to explain myself?”    


“Because if you don’t tell your side of the story, everyone is going to assume the worst about you.” Kaede pointed out. 

“Like I care about what any of you maggots think about me!” Miu declared arrogantly.    


“Is that so? Then if I decided to stop being your assistant, you’d be fine with that,” Sayaka said. “Is that what you’re saying, Miu?” 

Those words seemed to be a direct hit, as Miu shrank into herself. “No, you can’t just quit out of nowhere! Please don’t leave me!” 

_ The tone of Miu’s voice… I can hear a desperate loneliness in it. How long has she felt this way? _

“...I’m sorry, I didn’t really mean that,” Sayaka said quietly. “But I did feel like you needed to hear it.”    


“But I’m a g-genius that could revolutionize the w-world! Everyone should be hanging onto every w-word I say!” The stutter in Miu’s voice was clear.    


“That you are. But if you cling onto that, cling only to your talent, then there won’t be anyone that sees the real you,” Chiaki said. “Miu Iruma, the person.”    


Miu’s legs were trembling, staring at Sayaka and Chiaki in disbelief. “You’d better not be trying to th-throw me under the bus because you're jealous of my genius!”   


From there, Miu began to tell a story. A story about Miu finding a giant computer in the Ultimate Academy, one with the ability to transfer consciousness into avatars in a virtual world. Where deaths that happen in said world would affect the real bodies, without leaving a trace.    


“I programmed everything myself. A murder plan that no one could figure out, because no one else could understand the program like I could! And I executed the steps exactly as I planned them, so I thought my plan was working perfectly, until-!”    


Miu’s hands went up to her neck. “Someone killed me from behind! Even now, I’m not entirely sure what the fuck happened!”    


“If you were in the middle of trying to kill someone else, then perhaps the killer wanted to stop that by all means,” Peko said. “Either because they could not abide by murder, or because… your target was important to your killer.” 

“What I really want to know is why you did this, Miu,” Kaede said, studying the inventor. “Why did you plan a murder?”   


“Because that academy was nothing but a hellhole, and the world outside was a fucking ruin!” Miu yelled. “I wasn’t about to die before I could use my inventions to fix everything!”    


“Wait a second. The outside world was in ruins? Are you talking about… the Tragedy?” Chiaki asked. 

“That name doesn’t sound familiar to me. Yet, what Miu is describing does,” Ryoma said. “They could be the same, but…” 

“You are trying to spin yourself in a favorable light. But I do not believe your shriveled soul is capable of such ‘selfless’ acts,” Gundham said, glaring at Miu. “It is merely meaningless justification!”    


“You can say whatever the fuck you want about what I did!” Miu snapped. “But what matters right now is that I know machines! Which is why I’m telling you to never use this sketchy ass machine that Monokuma wants us to use!”    


“I can only speak for myself, but I certainly don’t have the right to judge Miu for what she’s done,” Sayaka said. “And I also think she’s right. Nothing good could come out of listening to Monokuma.” 

“But if you’ve used a machine to try and kill someone, how do we know you won’t try it again?” Hifumi asked. “Especially because you’d know best, Miss Iruma.” 

“Because that would be so fucking obvious! I still need to escape this place and change the world!” Miu declared. 

“Then it might be best to bring a close to this topic!” Ishimaru exclaimed. “Because we have other topics to discuss: Akamatsu’s own murder plan, and the nature of the motive!” 

Kaede knew it was coming. They would need to reach the truth that Rantaro alluded to in his final words. Yet, she also didn’t feel as if she was ready yet. “Before we talk more about our previous game, we should learn more about the one we’re in right now! So… can we investigate this area more? After we group up again with new information, we can talk about the motive, and what happened during my killing game.” 

That Kaede only knew one small portion was all the more reason: She was slowly learning what happened after she died, and Kaede wanted to use this knowledge to save what was left of her classmates.    


“This better not be an excuse to not talk about it after you put me on the spot!” Miu said aggressively. “I’m going to hold you to those words, Kaede!”   


“I know you will.”  _ You never let up on me for even a second. But I won’t give up on you, either. _

* * *

The breakfast meeting broke up after that, with everyone going to explore different parts of the new area. Chiaki at some point had fallen asleep sitting up, so Kaede gently shook her awake.    


“Hey, Nanami! Would you mind spending some time together?”    


“Sure, Akamatsu. I do have a goal in mind.” Chiaki headed towards the Kismet Island Laboratory, before heading into a room that Kaede missed yesterday.    


The room at first glance seemed empty, except for some power lines going from the back wall into the ceiling. But also at the back wall, there had been a small T.V. set up, as well Chiaki’s Funplane.    


“I got some new video games while we were in the casino. Want to play a fighting game with me?” Chiaki asked. 

“Sure thing!” Kaede took the second controller, picked a character, and proceeded to get demolished by Chiaki.    


After a few rounds, the girls set down the controllers to take a break. Kaede decided to take this chance to strike up the conversation. “What made you start playing games, Chiaki?” 

“There really isn’t a big reason behind it. I had the time for it,” Chiaki said simply. “But the first game console I ever played was an old Funicom my parents owned.”   


“Then it must have been a really old game that you played!” Kaede exclaimed.

“It was an RPG that was also the first in the series,” Chiaki explained. “In retrospect, the game was filled with outdated graphics and mechanics. But that didn’t matter to me, because the game’s cast transported me into this expansive world with gorgeous locations.”    


“I could almost see it,” Kaede said, indeed imagining a fantasy world with vast, lush plains. “I think I understand why you’re so passionate about games. You usually aren’t about much else.”    


As the words left Kaede’s mouth, she got the sudden feeling that she had said exactly the wrong thing- something became guarded in Chiaki’s eyes, and she pulled her hoodie over her head.    


“Wait, if I said anything that offended you, I didn’t mean-!”    


“No, it’s fine,” Chiaki said, even as she still didn’t look at Kaede. “I know how I must come off.”    


_ Ugh, looks like I really put my foot in it. But I also feel like there’s something more that explains why Nanami reacted this way.  _

Kaede decided to change location, and asked Chiaki if she wanted to take a quick bite in the dining hall. Chiaki nodded mutely, following Kaede.    


Once they were seated at a table, Kaede decided to take a different angle to the previous conversation, and talk about herself for a bit.    


“Truth be told, I’ve been playing piano for what feels like most of my life. But I only really started becoming dedicated to it when I entered middle school,” Kaede said. “I wasn’t sure how to approach other people, so I joined the school’s music club.”   


“It’s easier when you start with something you’re familiar with. I do understand that,” Chiaki said. “Did being in the music club help you talk with people?”    


“Well, yes and no. I was fine when I talked with the other members about music,” Kaede said, recalling that time in her mind. “But it was much harder when I had to talk about something else besides music. I still have trouble with that, honestly.”

_ And now even talking about the piano is hard. The moment that I think about a specific music piece, I get chills all across my body.  _

“...I know this is going to sound strange. But when I was scouted as the Ultimate Gamer by Hope’s Peak, it made me realize just how much of my life I’d centered around playing games,” Chiaki said, tugging at her hoodie. “I still love it, but I’d also realized I didn’t have anyone to play with, if that makes sense.”    


“You know, it does. Playing in front of an audience certainly makes me happy,” Kaede said. “But I also want to have someone I can talk to outside of that.”    


“I certainly cherish my classmates. But I haven’t approached them as much as I probably should have,” Chiaki admitted. “I need to work on my social stats, but those are always the toughest to level up.”    


“You just need someone to help you through it! So how about we help each other out?” Kaede suggested. “We can talk with each other about things that don’t relate to piano or video games!”

“That sounds nice,” Chiaki said, smiling sincerely for the first time since they started talking. “I look forward to getting to know you more, Akamatsu.”   
“I’m happy to get to know you more too!”

* * *

Not long after that, Ishimaru entered the dining hall. “Akamatsu! Nanami! We have decided to gather on the first floor of the laboratory, so we can make plans about what we want to do about the Miracle Machine!”    


The unspoken part was that there still had to be an in-depth conversation about the implications of Kaede’s murder case. But after having time to process everything that’s happened over the past couple of days, Kaede decided to take a stand.    


If in the end, she still turned out to be Rantaro’s killer, Kaede had long been ready to accept this. But if it turned out that there was another layer that she’d failed to uncover the first time, then Kaede would pursue it with everything she had.    


It was the least Kaede could do, to make up for all the people that had died because of her mistake.

Kaede entered the lobby to the laboratory, where everyone else was already waiting.    


“Akamatsu, Nanami! Thank goodness you have finally arrived!” Ishimaru exclaimed cheerfully. “Now we can begin!”    


“Begin discussing whether or not Kaede was framed for murder,” Korekiyo said. “And the implications thereof.”

“Last we discussed it, Peko brought up the possibility that something happened in between Kaede rolling the ball into the vent and everyone finding the body,” Tenko said. “But I think we did discuss this in the original trial!”    


“Because we all agreed that there was no way that someone could have slipped by the brilliant cameras I invented!” Miu declared. 

“Well, the way they were set up was Shuichi’s idea.” Kaede could still remember the set up. “There wasn’t supposed to be a blindspot, but there were the camera intervals.” 

“Even if someone could have slipped by the cameras that you set up, could that have fooled Monokuma’s cameras?” Sayaka asked. 

The question was met with confusion from everyone in Kaede’s class. It was Ryoma that spoke up. “There were no other cameras set up that we could see.”   
“Say what? But when we were locked into Hope’s Peak, there were cameras watching us almost everywhere!” Hifumi exclaimed. 

“It was the same for us. Despite the fact that we were on a tropical island, there were still cameras,” Chiaki said.

“Then if Akamatsu’s school had no cameras watching, then then how did Monokuma confirm who the Blackened was?” Ishimaru asked. 

To the surprise of no one, this summoned Monokuma. “Hey, c’mon now! I can’t allow for this stupidity to blather on and on!” 

“As the Headmaster, of course I know everything that happens to my students,” Monokuma continued. “I always know exactly what happens in a murder.”    


“Yet the Ultimate Academy alone does not have cameras, unlike the other two killing games,” Ryoma pointed out. “Even Kismet Island has cameras. I certainly don’t know what makes us so special.” 

Monokuma tilted his head curiously. “Who said you were special? Just because you didn’t see any cameras doesn’t mean there were none. You just didn’t see them.”    


The Mobile Voyeur was currently crawling all over Miu, as if to prove Monokuma’s point. Miu herself said, “I suppose that’s not impossible. But they would be really fucking small cameras! And it would be impractical to place them all over a giant campus space and inside a multi-story school!”    


“I think the bigger issue is that there seems to be a pattern developing,” Chiaki said, her expression serious. “When it comes to this particular case, there seems to be a lot of details that have been withheld from everyone.” 

“Which is all the more reason to not trust a word out of Monokuma’s mouth!” Tenko shouted. “Because it all goes against what Rantaro said about his own death!”    


“I’m starting to get really angry,” Monokuma growled, unsheathing one of his claws. “Let me pose this query, then. How is Rantaro so sure of what really happened? He died from a murder trap where the killer didn’t need to be physically there.”    


Monokuma left with that question hanging in the air.    


“The mystery remains as pitch black as ever. It seems we are left with no other choice but to decide what we trust,” Gundham said. “The departed Amami, or Akamatsu’s description of her murder scheme.”    


“Ke heh heh… if we are left with only testimony, then perhaps we should keep it simple,” Korekiyo suggested. “Rantaro stated quite clearly that there is a true killer, and that Kaede would meet them herself. Then is it possible that Rantaro saw his killer with his own eyes?” 

The concept seemed so simple, but Kaede could feel the ground shifting under her feet at the very idea.    


“Amami did seem to imply that he knew exactly who killed him, and it wasn’t Akamatsu,” Sayaka said softly. “Still, I wish he could have told us directly who really did it.” 

"'Dead men tell no tales'. Of course Amami could not tell us who killed him immediately after it happened,” Korekiyo pointed though. “Though why he did not say it when he gained a second life, one can only guess.”    


“Still, the words that he left us are still valuable,” Peko said. “Now we know that Monokuma is willing to twist the truth if it suits his ends.” 

“Such as the purpose of that machine,” Miu said, calling attention to herself. “That bear is clearly trying to bait someone to be stupid enough to use it!”    


“Umm… then, should we find out what the Miracle Machine does first?” Tenko asked nervously. “I think if we did, we’d be able to come up with the best way to fight it.”

“But Monokuma seems to believe that just learning what the machine does is enough to convince someone to use it!” Ishimaru exclaimed. “So would that really be safe?”    


“There is also what Monokuma did yesterday to consider,” Kaede said. “He added a rule to keep anyone from figuring out his machine on their own. Meaning Monokuma wants us to rely on him to learn about the Miracle Machine.”

“In my experience, even Monokuma’s version of the ‘truth’ is one that is meant to cause a murder,” Peko said, her tone laced with anger. “So I would support Ishimaru’s claim that we are better off not knowing.”

“Mister Ishimaru, I understand that you might believe that ignorance is bliss,” Hifumi said. “But I would agree with Miss Chabashira! How can we beat the motive if we don’t know what it is?” 

Tenko made a retching sound in the back of her throat. “Having you agree with me is starting to make me reconsider what I said before.”    


“I know you don’t like men, Tenko, but now you’re just being petty!” Kaede chastised. “This is about keeping everyone safe! I know Yamada accused you of murder, but you could let it go?” 

“That’s not it! Yamada just… rubs me the wrong way as a person,” Tenko said, as she kept an eye on Hifumi. “His very essence feels rotten to me.”    


“If you do not care for Yamada, that is fine,” Peko said. “You are free to never talk with him again, after we leave this island.” 

“Do not be discouraged, oh magician of the ancient craft!” Gundham said to Hifumi. “I at least am not afraid of the forbidden knowledge!”

“Your words indeed reassure me, Overlord of the Ice,” Hifumi said, rubbing his chin in a pleased manner. “There are now three people that agree that we should learn the machine’s functions!”    


“But there are three of us that agree that we shouldn’t, so we appear to be at a deadlock right now!” Ishimaru said in an alarmed tone. “How about everyone else?”   


“I think arguing about the machine’s function is distracting us from what we should be doing,” Chiaki said. “Which is preventing it from being used.”    


“Hey, something halfway smart out of you for once, Nanamini! But that’s not enough!” Miu exclaimed. “How do you suggest we do that? Sabotaging the machine is definitely going to be against the rules!”    


“Even if we can’t do something about the Miracle Machine itself, we can do something about our own actions,” Chiaki said. “We all collectively agree to not use it.”

“Yes, that sounds like a great idea! We render the motive powerless over us!” Kaede said, wanting to support Chiaki’s idea. 

Ishimaru had a doubtful expression on his face. “I understand what you are saying, Nanami, I really do. But my class tried to prevent murders by agreeing to not go out at  night time . But murders still happened because people didn’t follow the agreement.”    


“Actually, something similar happened during my killing game. Someone tried to stop murders by enforcing a curfew,” Tenko said, her face a storm of emotions. “But her methods caused a rift between everyone that kept getting worse and worse.”    


“No two humans are exactly the same. That is what makes them so very wonderful,” Korekiyo said mysteriously. “But that is also why there can perhaps never be a true understanding between us.”

“I believe that we can agree on a plan that isn’t one extreme or another,” Chiaki said. “Not just hoping everyone stays true to their word, and not forcing it on people either. So how about we guard the Miracle Machine?”   


“Guard it? That is a bold suggestion,” Ryoma said. “To be clear, are you suggesting that someone stand outside the door to the machine to make sure that it’s not used?” 

“Consider how we always have two people guarding a body to prevent tampering. We can have a similar system here,” Chiaki continued. “Two people guard the Miracle Machine to make sure it’s not used maliciously, but also make sure that the guarding itself can’t be corrupted.”    


“That is a creative idea! But what if the guards conspire with each other?” Ishimaru asked.    


“That’s only if you’re sure that the person you’re planning with won’t betray you,” Hifumi said, unusually somber. “I’ve made that mistake myself.”    


“Hifumi… now I understand,” Ishimaru said. “You mentioned being struck from behind before. That’s when it happened, wasn’t it?”

“It is not a memory I like to be reminded of, Mister Ishimaru, but I know you mean no harm,” Hifumi said, his tone still troubled. “I’d like a moment to myself.”   


Hifumi left the lab entirely. After that, Tenko said, “I’d say it’s a good idea to have people guarding the poisons room too! We can’t afford to let a potential killer have access to something so dangerous!” 

“Agreed. So we could have one pair guarding the machine, and a second pair guarding the poisons,” Peko suggested. “Of course, this would also require laying out a clear shift schedule, but I believe I can help with that.”    


“I don’t know about everyone else, but I only believe what I can see with my own two eyes,” Miu said. “I’ll use my Mobile Voyeur to make sure no one tries to use that machine behind everyone’s back!”    


“We still need to have the conversation on the best use of that,” Chiaki said. “Especially in this situation… I think.” 

“I think we need to spend a lot more time talking about what we need to do,” Kaede said. “But we can’t forget- we still need to get along! So when we aren’t on a shift, let’s hang out together and have fun!” 

“Ugh, I’m definitely glad that I’m interrupting this schmaltzy garbage,” Monokuma said, his voice filled with disgust. “I am here to break up this little love fest!”    


“You always do choose the worst times to appear,” Sayaka said. “But you can’t stop us from talking with each other.” 

“Maybe not, but everyone is just standing around! This is so boring!” Monokuma shouted. “So get out, and do something interesting! If you don’t, I may come back with my Exisal!” 

“We get the message already!” Tenko said furiously.    


“We have a clear plan tomorrow, at least. First thing in the morning, we get together and put together the last details of what we agreed on!” Kaede declared in a determined tone.    


Even as the students were forced out of the lab, Kaede felt a lot more confident than she had in the past few days.    


_ We are truly starting to unite as a class, and as friends. I do wish we could have done this sooner. But now, we will stop the killing game as one!  _

**Monokuma Theater **

4Cc0rDin' 70 4LL kN0WN L4w2 0f 4vI47I0N, 7h3R3 I2 N0 w4Y 4 B33 5H0Uld B3 4BL3 70 FLy.

8332 1GN0r3 Wh@ P30Pl3 th1nK 0F tH3m. m4y83 w3 sH0ulD 4lL PH0Ll0w T3H 3x4mpl3 0f 8332, 4nd D0 TH1ng2 3V3N 1f w3'R3 T0lD 1t'2 1Mp0ss18L3!

th12 h42 833N m0n0Kum4 Th34T3r, 13375P33K 3d1t10n!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed the FTEs with Chiaki! Expect more of them soon. This extra long chapter is a reward for the audience for always being so patient. So thank you for reading this entire chapter. See you next time! Please review.


	36. Chapter 3, Daily Life IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is back, and this time with four chapters to be published over the course of this week! Last we left the cast, they discussed the best way to combat the motive. Now, it's time to put the plan into action. Enjoy, my readers!

As soon as Kaede woke up, she didn’t get a moment to breathe- everyone gathered in the dining hall for an early breakfast, before everyone hammered out the first shift schedule for guarding both the Miracle Machine and the poison lab room.    
  
As they were talking, Monokuma appeared, causing the students to clam up as fast as possible. 

“Don’t be like that! You’ll really hurt someone’s feelings if you treat them like that,” Monokuma said, dejected.    


“You don’t even have feelings.” Tenko said flatly.    


“I totally do! For example, I am feeling excited to throw a whole new wrinkle into this Grand Killing Game,” Monokuma said. “Effective right now, it is against the rules to stay in the Kismet Island Laboratory after nighttime!”    


As usual, everyone’s Monopads beeped, and Kaede looked at the screen of hers.    


It read:  **Temporary Rule #2: It is forbidden to enter the Kismet Island Laboratory after 10:00 p.m., until 6:00 A.M. Any movement detected inside the lab during this time will trigger an alarm across the entire area.** **   
** **   
** “Why did you decide to put a restriction on the time we can use the lab?” Chiaki asked curiously. 

“In the interest of fairness, but also a more exciting killing game,” Monokuma said. “Having a time limit always gets those desperate creative juices flowing!” 

Kaede had a feeling that this was a jab at her and she glared at Monokuma, with the mechanical bear radiating smugness.    


“Now that I’ve done that, I look forward to more murders!” Monokuma vanished from the room. 

“Monokuma’s appearance just now has brought up a possibility,” Korekiyo said right after. “One that we have not spoken aloud, but we must have surely contemplated: the possibility of a mastermind.”

Those words were like a sledgehammer to Kaede’s gut- she suddenly found it hard to breathe, while everyone else looked similarly on edge.    


“When you say ‘mastermind’, do you mean the possibility that it could be one of us?” Peko asked neutrally.    


“Of course. I am not the first person to consider this, and I am far from the last,” Korekiyo said. “But since we are putting together plans that involve all of us, we can no longer ignore it.”   


“I understand. You are suggesting that if one of us was the mastermind, then they could sabotage our plans to prevent a murder from the inside,” Chiaki said grimly. “Like a traitorous party member in an RPG.”   


“N-no, I don’t want to consider the idea that one of us could be working against everyone else, not even the males!” Tenko cried out. “I mean, why would they do that? Wouldn’t they be just as much at risk as everyone else in the killing game?”   


“That is only assuming that such a being does not have dark magic that protects them,” Gundham said. “Privileges unique to them alone.” 

“For Monokuma to establish a rule as soon as we started making our plans seems like too much of a coincidence,” Korekiyo said, his chilling gaze sweeping the room. “Can anyone offer an alternative?” 

“Well, there are the cameras,” Sayaka said, pointing up at the ever present machines. “Setting aside the question of if a mastermind exists, if they were one of us, then what are the cameras for?”    


“I think I see what you’re saying, Maizono! If the cameras were recording in real time, then someone would need to be watching the footage,” Kaede said. “So it can’t be one of us, because we’re all here.”    


“However, if there is a Mastermind, then it means that they are a third party that is watching us even now,” Ryoma pointed out. “The concern that our plans are being recorded and sabotaged is still there.”    


“Hold on! This is all assuming that the footage is being watched in real time. But what if it’s being recorded to be watched later,” Ishimaru suggested. “Or it could be Monokuma watching it right now, to tell the Mastermind at a later point!”    


Everyone waited to see if this would summon Monokuma, but it didn’t, to Kaede’s curiosity.  _ This is certainly not how he usually behaves. I wonder why it’s different this time? _

“Listen up, Ishimaru! Do you know how expensive and impractical it would be to store mass amounts of footage at once?” Miu asked. 

“I mean, if the mastermind has control over this entire island, then they probably have a way to store all the footage.” Ishimaru said, much less unsure. 

“That’s not how it works! If those cameras are filming every second from morning until nighttime, that would still be sixteen uninterrupted hours of footage,” Miu said, in a surprisingly professional attitude. “Even if each day’s footage was erased, it’s not possible to store sixteen hours of footage at once!” 

“I do have an idea of what Iruma is talking about. Even the most advanced video games have issues with storage,” Chiaki said. “At most, we only have two terabytes of storage to work with.”    


_ No one else has the knowledge of technology that Miu has, so no one can exactly argue against her. I only hope she’s telling the truth.  _   


“If the Mastermind was someone meeting with Monokuma, then one of us would be suddenly disappearing at strange times,” Ryoma said. “Has that happened up until now?”   


“I don’t know how easy it would be to do that… but I think that makes it more important to go forward with our plan!” Tenko exclaimed. “We are going to protect each other from any ill-intentioned plans!” 

“And also keep an eye on each other… ke he he. I suppose we have put too much work into our current strategy to scrap it on the spot,” Korekiyo said, chuckling. “So even with our lifeline frayed, we forge onward.”    


“The conversation to draft up a new shift schedule started up, with Peko and Ishimaru leading the charge. Eventually, they settled on a final draft of the schedule. 

**8:00 A.M: Hifumi and Tenko, Poison Lab**

**Miu and Gundham, Miracle Machine**

**9:00 A.M: Korekiyo and Peko, Poison Lab**

**Sayaka and Ryoma, Miracle Machine **

**10:00 A.M: Chiaki and Ishimaru, Poison Lab**

**Kaede and Gundham, Miracle Machine**

It was at this point that they realized that since there were eleven of them, certain people would need to do multiple shifts. It was already tough enough to figure out who would be paired together. It was decided to pair people least likely to want to collaborate, but there had been a lot of complaining about it.    


“Hmm… this puzzle is harder than I thought it would be,” Chiaki said, staring down at their schedule. “I suppose since no one is allowed to be in the lab from nine onward, we could make 9:00 p.m. the last shift of the night, and have it end at 9:55 p.m. That would leave no time for anyone to use either the poisons or the machine,” Chiaki suggested. 

“I understand your logic, Chiaki, which is why I would suggest something else,” Peko said. “From 9:00 p.m. no one should be allowed into the greater lab building, with the guards waiting at the front door. That way, once night time hits, we will know that no one will be able to enter it for the rest of the night.”    


“That still doesn’t solve the larger issue. How are we going to get all of us to cover sixteen hours? We’re having a problem with twelve hours,” Kaede said, genuinely worried. “We don’t want to tire ourselves out doing this.” 

“For this, I may tap into my hidden energy reserves. However, I will boldly make a sacrifice!” Hifumi declared dramatically. “I suggest that we do shifts of two hours! That way, there only need be eight shifts total in a day!”    


“I already didn’t want to spend an hour with you, but I could put up with it for the greater good. But I refuse to do it for much longer!” Tenko shouted.

Kaede sighed, getting ready to tell off Tenko for stubbornly clinging to her hatred of males (and Hifumi in particular), but before she said anything, Chiaki spoke up.    


“Chabashira, you want to be able to protect everyone, right? First, it’s important to get to know them,” Chiaki said. “So I think you should try and get to know Yamada.” 

“What could I possibly have to learn about him?” Tenko asked, her voice dripping with contempt. 

“You’d be surprised. I sometimes see Yamada with his sketchbook, drawing whatever he sees,” Chiaki said. “He has also been making genuine suggestions to help, even when it makes things harder for himself. Like his two hour shifts idea just now.”

Kaede didn’t know how, but Chiaki’s words actually seemed to be reaching Tenko, the aikido master’s expression thoughtful.    


“Nanami… you are truly the kindest angel!” Hifumi exclaimed joyfully. “I’m truly blessed from having you in my life!”    


“I do want to prevent another murder, more than anything. If it means needing to make peace with males, then I will face this challenge!” Tenko turned towards Hifumi. “Do I have your word that you won’t break this agreement we’ve made?”    


“I absolutely wouldn’t dream of it, Chabashira!” Hifumi said, grabbing one of Tenko’s hands and shaking it vigorously. 

The distaste on Tenko’s face was clear, but she shook Hifumi’s hand in return.    


“Okay, if we’re done with these pointless distractions, there’s still one more important thing to take care of!” Miu cut in. “And that is that I do not plan to surrender my precious Mobile Voyuer to anyone else!”   


“Miu, I get that you’re protective of your inventions. But it’s bad if one person has the power to be able to watch everyone else without any oversight!” Kaede pointed out. 

“If I may be blunt, Iruma, that you are incredibly skilled at inventing is exactly the problem,” Peko said. “We just do not trust you as a person to not abuse that talent again.”   


“Your words cut as bad as a real sword would, Pekoyama! But fine, if everyone is going to keep riding my ass about this…” Miu seemed to be deep in thought for a few moments. “I’ll lend the people guarding the Miracle Machine my Mobile Voyeur! But if you break my previous baby, I’m going to make you pay every penny that it’s worth! And you don’t want to know how much that is!”   


“You really mean that, Miu? That’s so great!” Kaede exclaimed. Without thinking about it, she grabbed the inventor’s hands with her own. “We promise to take care of your invention!”    


Miu blushed, but she didn’t pull her hands away. “Don’t go crawling up my skirt yet, Kaeidiot! I’m only doing it to make sure no one can access that machine. Besides, we aren’t done until we’re off this stupid island!”    


“So that is your answer. I suppose trust goes both ways,” Peko said evenly. “Very well. If you are truly willing to loan us your invention, then I will try to trust you in turn.”   


“That Mobile Voyeur is far from the only amazing invention I have up my sleeve! With  the  next creation I have planned, everyone is going to fall for me for sure!” Miu declared. 

“This is all well and good, but we still need to finish laying out the shift schedule,” Ishiamru pointed out. “Then we need to get to work!”    


“Oh, but all work  and no play  is going to be stressful for everyone. So later in the day, I am going to hold a small concert in the laboratory,” Sayaka added. “It’s open to everyone!” 

“Of course, we should also keep an eye out for anything that could help us learn about the island,” Kaede said to everyone. “Or about the purpose of this killing game! But if there’s nothing else we need to talk about, let’s get started!”

* * *

In the final draft of today’s shift schedule, Kaede found herself guarding the third floor of the Miracle Machine with Gundham. Kaede had the use of the Mobile Voyeur to patrol the area, and make sure nothing came up from behind. 

While she was doing this, Kaede looked towards the door that they hadn’t entered the first time that was there. “What’s in that room, I wonder?”   


“A truly appalling sight, maiden of the ivory keys. It is filled with torsos that lack anything else- not heads, arms, or legs,” Gundham answered.    


Kaede had use of the Mobile Voyeur, and decided to check the room itself, just in case. Gundham was indeed telling the truth, and the image of a room of disembodied torsos would give her nightmares now. “Th-thanks for answering, Tanaka.”   


The rest of the two hour shift felt like it went on forever, and Kaede was glad when Korekiyo and Peko arrived to replace them. Peko was wary about her shift partner, but otherwise they didn’t mind each other’s presence.    
  
Gundham decided to exit outside to train Ent-B, so Kaede decided to go to the first floor of the lab, and check out the concert that Sayaka said she was going to hold, which was taking place in the empty room. As Kaede entered the room…

Kaede watched Sayaka and Chiaki in their singing act, feeling amused about Chiaki’s somewhat monotone performance. Sayaka’s voice, as always, carried a beautiful, melodic tone to the audience, which consisted of Hifumi, Miu, and Ishimaru.    


“You truly sound like you are enjoying yourself, Sayaka!” Ishimaru exclaimed, smiling. “It’s wonderful to listen to it!”    


“Sure, you have a pretty good voice, Sayaka. I could probably learn how to sing too, but I’ve already got brains and beauty like no one else,” Miu said. “I could let you be better at this one thing, as my assistant!”    


“How very generous of you, Miu,” Sayaka said, giggling. “Of course, if you think you have what it takes to be an idol, I could teach you a thing or two. We could start with practicing routines into the dead of night.”    


“No thanks! I could totally do that , uh, ” Miu said, her words belied by how she was now profusely sweating. “I’m  just too busy with my inventions, that all!”

“That’s what I thought.” Sayaka said, a little more seriously.    


“But you aren’t inventing anything right now. You could come and join us,” Chiaki said, getting a third microphone. “And we could sing together.”   


“So it’s a singing  contest  you want next, Nanamini. I definitely don’t plan to lose to you!” Miu declared.    


Chiaki let out a slow, exasperated sigh. “Not everything is a competition, Iruma. Sometimes I want to spend time with you because I can.” 

“Besides which, from the singing I’ve already heard her do, Miss Nanami would definitely win!” Hifumi added.

“...I just said that this wasn’t a competition.”    


“How about everyone that wants to sing can do it if they want,” Kaede suggested. “I certainly wouldn’t mind a few songs!”  _ At least, I hope I’ll be able to sing.  _

“As much as I do not wish to miss this performance, Miss Nanami is probably going to want food and water when she’s finished. I will retrieve it right now!” Hifumi left the room.    


“I don’t feel much like singing. Besides, I want to start to draft up the shift schedule for tomorrow,” Ishimaru said, adjusting Kaito’s coat on his shoulder. “I’ll go see if Pekoyama is done with her guard shift!” 

Kaede set up a third and fourth microphone into Sayaka’s karaoke machine, and Miu took one. From there, the four girls began to sing whatever song came up.    


It had to be the least harmonic singing ever performed. Sayaka was undeniably the best. Kaede found that she could sing decently well for her first time, and she didn’t get any flashbacks from doing so.    


However, Sayaka and Kaede couldn’t harmonize with Chiaki and Miu. Chiaki was as monotone as ever, while Miu seemed to believe that singing involved volume and not  pitch . The four voices never managed to match up to the chorus of the song on the karaoke machine. 

But it was the most fun that Kaede could ever remember having. She found herself out of breath, but also laughing as the final song they were singing ended.   


“That was so much fun!” Sayaka exclaimed cheerfully, a bit red in the face but otherwise no worse to wear. “Though, everyone has a long way to go before they could be in a concert.”    


“No fucking kidding! Your stamina is something else, Sayaka!” Miu cried out, panting. “It almost makes me jealous!”    


Chiaki’s eyes were dropping as if she was about to fall asleep on the spot. “I think… I need to recharge after this. Just give me… five minutes.”    


Chiaki’s knees buckled, and Kaede realized she was falling to the floor. But to her surprise, Miu reacted immediately, and caught the shorter girl in her arms. Miu smacked Chiaki’s cheeks lightly.    


“Hey there, don’t fall asleep on the floor! That is a little too vulnerable right now!” Miu snapped.    


Mmmmm… you have a surprising dexterity stat, Iruma,” Chiaki said, looking up at Miu. “I apologize if I feel heavy… I should probably get back on my feet.”    


At this point Miu realized she was still holding Chiaki, and her face burned red. As Chiaki stood back up, Miu seemed to flee to the other side of the room. 

Not long after, Hifumi entered the room with a tray that had a glass of water and sliced fruit, as Kaede remembered him doing when they were staying in the casino area. “Here is your sustenance, Miss Nanami!”    


Chiaki drank from the water and ate an orange slice, and she perked up. “Thank you, Yamada.”   


“I’m indispensable, aren’t I? I’m very valuable to you, right?” Hifumi asked.    


“Of course. You are a valuable and indispensable friend,” Chiaki said, smiling. 

“Friend?” For a moment, Kaede thought he saw Hifumi’s eyes go blank. Then he started rubbing his head bashfully, and she thought she may have imagined it. “Yes, I am glad to be the humble servant of you and the Overlord of Ice!”    


“Somehow I’m not surprised that you’re a natural sub, hamster face,” Miu quipped, despite the fact that she was still blushing from earlier. “But whatever  floats your boat.”    


“Ah, Miss Iruma. It’s time for me to do my shift guarding the Miracle Machine,” Hifumi said. “Do you have that camera of yours?”    


“If you’re going to take it, make sure to disinfect it thoroughly before you give it back!” Miu commanded, handing over the camera and its controller. “I don’t even want to know what you’ve touched!”    


Hifumi took the camera and left, and Kaede made a quick prayer that the shift between him and Tenko didn’t fall apart.    


“I’m going back to my room to work on my latest invention! Sayaka, come with me,” Miu said, gesturing to the idol. “You’ll get to see this brilliance first hand!”    


“I suppose I could use a break after all the singing I’ve done.” Sayaka and Miu left the room, meaning that Kaede was alone with Chiaki.    


“Since we’re both here, let’s spend some more time together!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, we start off with the next two FTEs with Chiaki. As for what happens after that, I'll leave it as a surprise. What detail sticks out the most from what has occurred so far? See you next time! Please review.


	37. Chapter 3, Daily Life V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, we immediately pick up at the FTEs with Chiaki. I decided to add my own interpretation of what kind of life Chiaki might have had before. Enjoy, my readers!

“Sure, I’d like to spend more time with you,” Chiaki said. “First, help me pack up the karaoke machine.”    


Kaede pitched in, and the two of them turned off the karaoke machine and unplugged it, making sure to wrap up the cable so no one could trip on it. As they worked, Kaede considered where they had left off last time- learning to be more social. 

“If you want to learn to talk with people, do you want to talk about video games?” Kaede asked. “Or would you rather learn to talk with people without depending on that?”

“I do enjoy talking about video games, but I see what you are saying, Akamatsu,” Chiaki said thoughtfully. “It’s good to be able to talk with other people about their interests too.” 

“This isn’t the first time I’ve done something like this, actually. Me and Tsumugi tried to talk with each other, but I couldn’t think of much to say that wasn’t about music,” Kaede said sheepishly. “And she had trouble talking about anything that wasn’t cosplay.”   


Talking about this did cause a pain in Kaede’s heart, given that Tsumugi was gone. But Kaede also preferred to remember the cosplayer as a friend. 

“That’s something to admire about you that isn’t related to your talent. Your friends are dear to you, even if they’ve been Blackened,” Chiaki said. “Truth be told, I believed that my classmates that committed murders couldn’t be forgiven.”   


“You did talk about this before! You believed this until you committed a murder yourself,” Kaede said. “If you don’t mind my asking, what do you believe now?” 

“I still think that you should not kill someone, if at all possible,” Chiaki said firmly. “However… in this killing game, sometimes killing is the only option. Everyone has a reason that means the most to them. I think mourning everyone, both victim and Blackened, is only natural.”    


“But we should still do everything in our power to stop this madness, before it claims more lives!” Kaede declared. Something occurred to her. “But this is a pretty serious subject to talk about when we started out trying to socialize better.”    


Chiaki sighed in a downcast fashion. “It’s usually easiest to talk about something familiar. But right now, that’s this awful situation.”    


_ Okay, so the next thing we need to do is find something to talk about that’s literally anything else!  _

In a happy coincidence, Kaede had a shift with Chiaki guarding the poison lab, so they moved one room over. Being surrounded by chemistry equipment and dangerous liquids didn’t make for the best atmosphere, but Kaede would work with it. 

“Let’s try again with something basic. What is something that makes you happy?” Kaede asked.    


“Hmm…” Something about the question made Chiaki more pensive than Kaede expected. “Akamatsu, I told you before that I became the Ultimate Gamer because I had time to play games.”   


Kaede did remember this, and so didn’t say anything because she wanted to know where Chiaki was going with this.   


“Truth be told, the reason why is because both my parents work a lot. My father is a businessman, and my mother works in tech support,” Chiaki explained. “I know they worked to support me… but I was also lonely.”    


“Nanami, that must have been rough on you.” From what Kaede could remember, her parents always supported her dream to be a pianist. 

“But one day, I happened to find an old game console that belonged to my mother. Like I said, I played an RPG on it,” Chiaki continued. “But when it comes to the first time a game truly made me feel happy… it was when my mother introduced me to a co-op game.”

“Oh, I get it! You and your parents must have spent many afternoons playing games together after that,” Kaede said, smiling at the idea.    


Chiaki was also smiling, her eyes filled with warmth. “They both made time for me, even as busy as they could be. That’s why… what makes me happy is being able to share experiences with other people. It’s easiest with games, but I want to be able to make many memories with my classmates, whatever we do together.” 

“Then I think I could definitely help you with that! Because what makes me happy is being able to support my friends in whatever they do!” Kaede exclaimed cheerfully. “So feel free to consider me your friend as of right now!” 

“We’re friends… you definitely have a high charisma stat, Akamatsu,” Chiaki said. “Although, we ended up talking about games in the end.”    


“You know, it’s a work in progress,” Kaede said. “Just to be fair, I’m going to tell you about one of my early concerts!”   


“Oh, this must be your origin story, then!” Chiaki said excitedly.    


“I don’t think it’s anything that grand…”

* * *

Kaede found she was constantly exploring the boundaries of how much she could talk or think about music. The memory of an early concert was fine, and Chiaki listened to it with rapt attention.    


But after they finished their shift and parted ways, Kaede tried to recall the time she played Clair de Lune for Shuichi, and those memories were too raw, too painful for Kaede to linger on.    


So it was with a more subdued mood that Kaede exited the lab- only to find that Ryoma seemed to have gathered several other people in the outdoor area between the lab and the dining hall.    


“What’s going on here?” Kaede asked, looking at the motley group: Hifumi, Gundham, Korekiyo, and Peko.    


“It’s not much. Consider this my own small way of fighting the killing game,” Ryoma said. “By holding a simple lesson: don’t repeat your mistakes.”    


“Pardon me, Mr. Hoshi, but I think most of us are very aware of what our mistakes are,” Hifumi said meekly. “And I doubt we’re going to repeat them.”    


“You would think. However, the killing game so far has shown it is not that simple,” Ryoma said, sticking a candy cigarette in his mouth. “Take what happened Kaito. He worked to save everyone, but his stubbornness ended up being his downfall.”   


“That seems a little harsh on Kaito, don’t you think?” Kaede said, joining the rest of the group.    


“Perhaps I’m being harsh, but only because it’s necessary,” Ryoma said. Then he turned his gaze to Kaede. “After all, you have been more conscious than anyone about not succumbing to the worst side of yourself.”   


“Yes, that’s true. I am making an effort to better myself,” Kaede said, meeting Ryoma’s gaze evenly. “But you’ve never been so involved in other people’s business. Why change that now?”    


Ryoma pulled his hat over his eyes. “This is my way of not repeating my mistakes. I know it could be considered uncool to rely on others… but it’s more uncool to senselessly throw yourself away.”   


“I can understand the logic behind your actions, Hoshi, but not what this lesson is supposed to be,” Peko said. “Why did you group us together like this?”   


The erstwhile tennis player didn’t answer at first, and before Kaede could blink he vanished. In the next few seconds, he appeared before Peko, Gundham, Hifumi, before finally stopping in front of Kaede. 

“This is the lesson: reflect on your own mistakes. Consider why you’ve ended up here,” Ryoma said, pacing in front of the group. “You do not need to speak it out loud if you wish. However, if you need an ear, the least I can do is offer mine.” 

Kaede had already done more than enough reflecting on her mistakes, so instead observed everyone else. They all looked uncomfortable, to an extent. 

“...They say that no man is an island. However, that seemed like words that would only reassure mortals,” Gundham said, absentmindedly petting Ent-B’s head. “They did not matter to an Overlord like me. But perhaps that is a luxury I can ill afford right now.”   


“You tell us to reflect about our mistakes. That does not take into consideration that you do not know what we consider our mistakes,” Korekiyo said. “What one person may consider ‘wrongdoing’ could be the only option for another.”   


“Even now, I’ve had a hard time talking with others,” Peko admitted ruefully. “Even if this weren’t a killing game, I am not used to reaching out to strangers.”    


“Is it finally time for me to become a main character!” Hifumi declared. “I will pass this lesson with flying colors! Oh ho ho, perhaps even unlock new form.”    


“Pray that this island will be able to handle such an upsurge of darkness, then. Because I do not plan to be overthrown anytime soon, not even by my servant!” Gundham called out to Hifumi.    


“You think that I have the potential to match you, Overlord? That is high praise indeed. But you also seem to be implying there is only room enough for one of us,” Hifumi said, adjusting his glasses. “Those are words I do not plan to take lying down!”    


“Do either of you not remember that this is supposed to be Ryoma’s lesson?” Kaede asked incredulously. 

“Leave them to their dramatics, Akamatsu. If anything, it may be for the better that they have these distractions,” Peko said. “So that they aren’t spending their time thinking of… something worse.”    


Kaede picked up the hidden meaning and agreed with the sentiment. “You sound like you could use a distraction, Pekoyama!”   


“Well, during our shift together, Shinguji did teach me about the history of the katana,” Peko said, briefly touching her sword bag. “And he had more to tell me, in fact.”   


“Ah, so that had piqued your attention,” Korekiyo said, sounding pleased. “If you wish to stick around, Kaede, you may. However, the history of any weapon will always be stained with blood.”    


Kaede gulped, but she also wanted to learn more about her classmates. So she decided to brave listening to Korekiyo’s lecture.

* * *

What started out as a lesson by Ryoma ended up being a more casual get together, which disbanded as night fell on the area. The history of the katana did end up being fascinating, and Kaede could tell that Peko did learn something new about her preferred weapon. 

She decided to go have dinner at the dining hall before going to bed for the day. Ryoma followed her, his hands in his pockets.    


“So, do you think anyone should be watched?” Ryoma asked suddenly.    


Kaede looked down at Ryoma, an inquisitive look on her face.    


“I gathered the people most likely to become Blackened. For you to observe them,” Ryoma said. “Do you think anyone is planning a murder?”    


Kaede gave serious consideration to Ryoma’s question. “I guess the person that worries me the most is Korekiyo. When asked to reflect on his mistakes, he went on this spiel about how that depended on perspective.”    


“I did notice that.” For a moment, Ryoma was silent. “If you have concerns, you can make suggestions for the next shift schedule.” 

The implication being that Kaede could decide who she could watch over in case she believed any of them were going to act. Times like these reminded Kaede that she was the leader of this group, even if no one called her such a title.    


“I was told that Ishimaru and Pekoyama had already drafted up the schedule for tomorrow, so asking to change it out of nowhere would raise too many questions,” Kaede said. “But I will look over it quickly. Where is it?”    


“Already in the dining hall. Take a look.” Ryoma said. He and Kaede entered the dining hall together, but Ryoma kept walking towards the dormitory area. Kaede saw what he meant- a paper had been pinned on one of the food machines, so she went to go take a look. 

**6:00 A.M: Sayaka and Gundham, Poison Lab**

**Peko and Ryoma, Miracle Machine**

**8:00 A.M: Tenko and Ishimaru, Poison Lab**

**Kaede and Hifumi, Miracle Machine**

**10:00 A.M. Chiaki and Korekiyo, Poison Lab**

**Miu and Ryoma, Miracle Machine **

**12:00 P.M: Tenko and Miu, Poison Lab**

**Gundham and Ishimaru, Miracle Machine**

**2:00 P.M: Peko and Sayaka, Poison Lab**   
**Hifumi and Korekiyo, Miracle Machine**

**4:00 P.M: Kaede and Miu, Poison Lab**

**Tenko and Peko, Miracle Machine**

**6:00 P.M: Ryoma and Ishimaru, Poison Lab**

**Korekiyo and Gundham, Miracle Machine**

**8:00 P.M: Chiaki and Sayaka, Lab Front Door**

Kaede had to wince about the fact that a few people had to do triple shifts, just to be able to fill every two hour gap between morning and night time. But Peko and Ishimaru seemed to have attempted to ensure that not the shifts weren’t too close together. 

“Peko is also selfless enough to offer her own time and energy for the greater good too!”    


“Tenko, warn me before you talk with me!” Kaede exclaimed, Tenko’s sudden appearance almost making Kaede jump out of her skin. “Oh, but what about Pekoyama?” 

“From what I heard, she and Ishimaru discussed for a good while about the best way to handle people having multiple shifts,” Tenko said. She pointed to the shift paper. “And Peko volunteered to do two shifts back to back since she feels she has the experience for it!” 

“She volunteered, you say?” A bad feeling bubbled up in Kaede’s gut, and she tried to push it down. The conversation with Ryoma was now making her feel paranoid about everyone. Kaede decided to change the subject. “So how was the shift with Yamada?”

“Not terrible, I suppose. I guess Yamada was serious about his guard duty after all,” Tenko said, her expression pained. “But talking with him wasn’t very enjoyable.”    


“Nanami did ask you to try and get to know him better,” Kaede reminded Tenko. “Did you at least try?”   


“Hmm… I suppose if there’s one thing, it’s that Yamada really is a talented artist,” Tenko said. “When he got bored, he took out a sketchbook and drew in it. I asked to see what it was, and he showed me- and it turned out to be a completely accurate drawing of a school building!”    


That did sound pretty impressive to Kaede. “You’re saying he drew an entire school building from memory?”    


“When I asked him what school it was, Yamada told me it was Hope’s Peak Academy,” Tenko said, her expression focused in concentration. “We’ve heard that school mentioned a few times, but we still don’t know what it is!”    


“I think it’s mentioned that a lot of the people here are actually from that school.” Though now that Kaede was remembering, it was more accurate to say that only her group wasn’t from this school.    


_ “ _...You claim to be from a made up school.”_ _ _   
_

Nagito Komaeda’s words from days ago echoed in Kaede’s head, and she couldn’t deny them. Thinking about it logically, wouldn’t it make sense that her group was the odd one out, and not everyone else?    


Tenko put a reassuring hand on Kaede’s shoulder. “Whatever the truth is about our schools, it hasn’t stopped us from being able to work together! We’re fighting against the motive right now, in fact!”   


Somehow, that was exactly what Kaede needed to hear. “Thank you for that, Tenko. We’re going to beat this, even if it’s one day at a time!”    


“That’s the spirit, Kaede!” Tenko exclaimed, smiling. “To help beat the killing game, me and Peko have a plan for tomorrow!”    


“I can’t wait to see what you have in mind!” Feeling much better, Kaede decided to retire to her room for the night.    


Even so, a paranoid part of herself couldn’t help but wonder if someone was planning a murder right now, without anyone else aware of it. 

**Monokuma Theater **

“Monokuma, tell me your secrets! What makes you so smart, handsome, and charming?”   


“Idiot! Do you think I’d tell you my secrets just like that? If just anyone could be as perfect as me, it wouldn’t be special anymore.” 

“Instead, everyone should strive to be even half as smart, handsome, and charming as I am! You may as well try to emulate me with everything you have.”    


“Even if you’ll never be like me, it will entertain me to watch you fail!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even when it seems like everyone has banded together, there is also the fear that someone is sabotaging it from the inside. Does the audience believe there is such a person? See you next time! Please review.


	38. Chapter 3, Daily Life VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today, I bring you the longest chapter yet in Discordant Echoes! Because this particular day is full of events, as many as I could pack in as possible. Enjoy, my readers!

First thing in the morning, everyone gathered in the dining hall to see what new invention Miu had up her sleeve. The four people that had the first guard shifts weren’t present, but just about everyone else was.    


“Unfortunately, my lovely assistant couldn’t make it to this demonstration,” Miu began. “But I’ll do all the presenting! So without further ado, here is the latest brainchild from my golden brain!” 

Miu presented what appeared to be a large scanner gun, which had Miu’s mouse mascot emblazoned on the side. “Introducing the Naughty Fluids Detector!”    


Ishimaru raised his hand. “I’m almost afraid to ask, but why is it called that, Iruma?”   


“Because this baby can reveal hidden fluids of three different varieties, depending on the setting!” Miu declared proudly. “It can reveal blood, sweat, and those special fluids that happen when you get excited!”    


Ishimaru definitely looked like he was regretting his question, and the life choices that led to him asking it.    


“I have a question of my own. If this invention can detect fluids, can it detect who they can belong to?” Chiaki asked. 

“I expected nothing less of you, my rival! You already know the answer, don’t you,” Miu said. “No, this invention can’t tell you who the fluid you scan belongs to. Unless everyone wants to give a sample to use as a database?”    


“I would have no issue giving you a sample of myself if it meant preventing future murders,” Chiaki said sincerely. “But this would only work if everyone gave a sample as well, and I understand if certain people aren’t comfortable with it.” 

“I would be happy to give a sample too!” Kaede said firmly. “I have nothing to hide from anyone!”    


Unfortunately, it seemed like no one else was willing to step forward, and Miu let out an annoyed huff. “I guess I can’t force anyone else to give up a sample. But you’re all officially pussies!”    


“Okay, that’s not necessary, Miu,” Kaede said. “But that does bring up something else. What did you have in mind when you made this?”    


“Getting off this island, of course!” Miu exclaimed. “I want to use this baby to see if I can’t find a hidden route or something!”   


“You sound like you have read too many mystery novels,” Korekiyo said, amused. “And yet, as they say, ‘when you eliminate the impossible, what remains must be the truth’. We can’t discount the idea.”

“If you could fuck off with that sarcastic tone!” Miu snapped. “All you’ve done is stay in that room with the weird engraving!”    


“It doesn’t seem like much to you, at the moment,” Korekiyo said, the harsh language sliding right off him. “However, I am keeping track of all the puzzle pieces I have observed so far.”   


“Could this be one?” Chiaki had her Funplane console on her two hands, but the console was upside down. Everyone gathered around it to see what Chiaki wanted them to see.    


“... ‘Something’ Entertainment? What’s that?” Kaede asked, studying the strange symbol.    


“That is the question, isn’t it? I’ve never seen this on a Funplane console before,” Chiaki said, tracing the seal. “From what I can tell, it’s the name of a company.”    


“Hmm… actually, this looks like a seal that people use to sign important letters,” Tenko said, studying it. “I’ve seen this used before. I think this top half are Kanji characters. But they are too squished together for me to tell what they are.”   


“Yeah, Kanji characters are hard to read at the best of times,” Kaede said, looking at the seal. “Still, this could be a clue for whoever runs this island!”    


“How do you know that for sure?” Monokuma asked, suddenly in the middle of everyone else. 

“What are you suggesting, Monokuma?” Chiaki asked evenly. 

“You got that game console as a special prize from my casino!” Monokuma pointed out. “And all the prizes have my special paw mark on them!”    


“Then you are implying that this seal has no connection to the world outside this island,” Korekiyo said. “Of course, we have only your word for it.” 

“Oh, such harsh distrust! If only you kids put this much energy into committing a murder!” Monokuma exclaimed. “I mean, the poor Monokuma Miracle Machine is collecting dust!”    


“I hope that dust clogs up the machine and breaks it!” Tenko declared. “Because we certainly don’t ever plan on using it!” 

“But why not?” Monokuma asked, fake swooning. “All humans are afraid of similar things, right? Of growing old, of breaking their limbs, of being so pitifully limited. Surely everyone would prefer to not worry about that anymore.”   


“You are being very specific. Is there someone you think needs to hear this?” Kaede noted, her mind racing.    


“It’s for anyone that wants to listen! Puhuhuhu…”   


“Okay, we need to be extra vigilant for our shifts today!” Tenko exclaimed to the room at large. 

“But these shifts are only doing so much! We need to come up with ideas to do more than that!” Miu said. “Especially you, Nanamini. As my rival, I refuse to let you just give up like you did last time!”   


“‘Just give up’, you say?” Chiaki cocked her head curiously. “Are you talking about how I accepted my execution?”    


“What else? I don’t understand why you wouldn’t do everything possible to live!”    


Chiaki looked right into Miu’s eyes. “It’s not that I didn’t want to live. Of course I did. But… knowing that my sacrifice carried my classmates forward helped carry me to my execution. Everyone you meet takes a little of you with them, and you carry a little of them with you too.”   


“...I still don’t get it,” Miu said, breaking Chiaki’s gaze. “I am going to live, and I am going to use my inventions to make sure it happens!”    


“I suppose we have a different view. For example, I think we are more than rivals,” Chiaki said. “At least, I’d like to be more than that to you, Miu.” 

For a moment, Miu was actually stricken silent by Chiaki’s words, her eyes wide. Kaede could see none of the arrogance or abrasiveness that usually characterized Miu’s expression. Instead, it was a vulnerable expression. 

But the moment was gone, and Miu let out a haughty laugh. “Ah ha ha ha! Don’t get too ahead of yourself, Nanamini! I wouldn’t choose just anyone as my rival, so you’re already a cut above most people!”   


Chiaki’s cheeks puffed up in annoyance. “Fine. If you’re going to be like that, then I’ll show you what I can do later.”   


“We can compete with each other as friends all we want,” Kaede said, raising her voice to make sure she had everyone’s attention. “But we also need to remember that Monokuma is trying to work against us. So more than ever, we need to watch out for each other!”    


“Well said, Kaede!” Tenko exclaimed. “Which is why me and Peko have something planned for later- a Neo Aikido lesson!”   


“That’s your martial arts style, Chabashira. So you’re going to show it to everyone?” Chiaki asked.    


“Not just that! Neo Aikido is specially designed to help people connect with each other!” Tenko declared. “It’s the perfect way for the group to come together!” 

“That sounds nice, Tenko! I’m certainly going to attend,” Kaede said, smiling. “I think it would be good for others to attend as well!”

“I am going to take Nanami’s puzzle piece and… mull it over,” Korekiyo said. “We all have our roles to play, and I will stick with mine.”    


“Not like I was asking you to come along,” Tenko said disdainfully. “But anyone that wants to attend is free to do so!”   


The breakfast meeting broke up from there, as everyone went their separate ways. Yet, Monokuma’s words lingered over everyone, like a poisonous fog.

* * *

“Akamatsu, could you meet me in my room?” 

“I don’t see why not,” Kaede said, even though a part of her was surprised by Chiaki’s request. She followed the gamer to the door of her room, and Chiaki opened it with her Monopad.    


The inside of Chiaki’s room was messy, with the sheets of the bed rumpled and with game paraphernalia and wires scattered on the floor. Somehow, the state of the room didn’t surprise Kaede.    


“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Kaede asked Chiaki.

“I’ve been thinking… all the times I have talked with you have helped give me a boost in confidence,” Chiaki said. “You always speak with resolve, you always try to encourage the person you are talking to, and you make sure that if you feel down, it doesn’t affect others.”   


Kaede could feel her face heat up as Chiaki’s description continued. “Oh, stop it! I’m just being the friend that I’d like others to be to me!”    


“I want everyone to be friends with each other, and I want to be friends with them too. But I didn’t feel like I could talk with them,” Chiaki said in a melancholic tone. “Yet little by little, I have come to know everyone here.”

“That’s great, Nanami! Because I’m sure that everyone already likes you too,” Kaede said, smiling. “I know I’ve considered you my friend since we met!”    


“That makes me really happy.” Chiaki’s cheeks took on a pink color. “I’d like to make friends with everyone once we get off island, but… I am glad to have you as a close friend, Kaede.”    


The words made Kaede feel warm all over. “I’m glad to be your close friend too, Chiaki! I’m sure we can help each other talk better with other people! It’s like I’m your Player 2!”    


For some reason, this made the blush spread on Chiaki’s face. “You should be more careful with words like that. You might raise a flag that you didn’t intend.”    


“I guess that’s more of your video game lingo, but I don’t quite get it,” Kaede said. “But I want to learn, because video games are important to you! But in exchange, want me to teach you a little bit about music? We could still try and talk about other things, but we also can’t neglect what’s shaped us as a person.”    


“You are correct, Kaede. But you shouldn’t force yourself to talk about something that makes you feel uncomfortable,” Chiaki said, her tone more serious. “Like how you’ve avoided any mention of your own talent.”   


“Oh, so you noticed,” Kaede said, feeling a shudder go up her spine at the thought. “I mean, I still love music, that hasn’t changed. And I want to get back to playing the piano again. I’m just taking things one day at a time.”

“As long as you aren’t pushing yourself too hard. I do want to support you in whatever way I can.” Chiaki said. Then she smiled, a warm smile that Kaede felt was from the bottom of her heart. “Let’s all support each other.” 

_ Wow, that’s a really cute smile! Then again, everything about Chiaki is adorable.  _ Out loud, Kaede said, “Agreed, Chiaki! I can’t wait to learn about each other and the world around us, once we leave this island!”    


_ I feel an unbreakable bond between myself and Chiaki, formed from her kindness. _

* * *

Shortly after that, sadly, Kaede had a shift guarding the Miracle Machine, so she went to the Kismet Island Laboratory, heading up the stairs to the second floor. Kaede tried one of the three doors, and soon found it was locked. “What the? Did no one beat the challenge in this room?”   


“Not quite, Miss Akamatsu,” Hifumi said, who was also on this floor. “Every day, the challenges reset.”   


“Oh hey, Yamada! Right, you’re my shift partner,” Kaede said. “The doors reset? Ugh, that’s probably Monokuma’s idea of making things ‘more interesting’.”    


“Fear not! If you wish to make use of my talents, then I can help you through the drawing challenges!” Hifumi declared.    


“I don’t want to impose on you too much. I want to see how many of these I can get through on my own!” With that, Kaede and Hifumi tackled the nine challenge rooms.   


In the end, Kaede ended up relying on Hifumi once for a drawing challenge room, and he beat it impressively quickly.  _I suppose he is an Ultimate for a reason._ _   
_

When they finally reached the third floor, they took up their positions in front of the door to the Miracle Machine. Kaede had control of the Mobile Voyeur, so she manipulated the camera. At one point, she saw the machine behind them.   


“That thing still creeps me out,” Kaede said, seeing the entire contraption through the screen of the camera’s tablet. “The way it’s shaped like a person… I feel like if you entered that thing, you’d never be able to come back out.”    


“Like that story, ‘ The Enigma of Amigara Fault’. You feel it call out to you, like it was made just for you,” Hifumi said in a spooky voice.    


“I know that you’re probably messing with me, but also please don’t say things like that,” Kaede said, feeling like she would lose her breakfast. “I feel like it’s a bad omen.”    


“Don’t say that out loud!” Hifumi said, sweating. “That machine isn’t actually supernatural. It can’t do anything if no one uses it.” 

“You’re right. Still, it would make me feel better if we found a way to at least get out of this area as soon as possible,” Kaede said, turning the Mobile Voyeur away from the Miracle Machine. “Then we never have to spend our time guarding against it again.”   


“It would be easier if everyone else knew what the machine did,” Hifumi said, craning his head to see it. “At least our imaginations wouldn’t be scaring us instead!”    


“It is what it is. Let’s just get through this shift as best as we can.” Kaede remembered something. “Oh, Tenko told me that you have some impressive drawings! Could I see some of them?” 

“If you so wish, Miss Akamatsu! But be careful not to be blinded by the sights within!"

* * *

The one event that Kaede was looking forward to this day was Tenko’s Neo Aikido demonstration. Much like Ryoma’s “lesson”, it took place in the outdoor area between the lab and the dining hall. 

First Kaede had to do a shift with Miu at the poison lab, and Kaede asked if she was going to attend the lesson. Miu didn’t want to give an answer, but Kaede persisted until Miu agreed to go. So after the shift ended, the two girls exited the lab to the outdoor area.   


Tenko and Peko were standing in front of the group of people that had decided to show up: Hifumi, Sayaka, Ishimaru and Chiaki. Of note was that Tenko had moved a table from the dining hall to this area, and on the table were several glasses of water. For some reason, someone had written the names of the people present on the cups.   


“It’s a security measure,” Peko said, seeing Kaede’s curious gaze. “So that no one accidentally drinks a cup of water that someone else has already drunk.”    


“Welcome to the Neo Aikido lesson! It is a martial arts form that was created by me and my Master,” Tenko explained. “It deals in self defense, but also to dealing with villains as fast as possible!”   


Peko looked over at the aikido master. “Hold on a moment, your ‘Master’? This is the first I’ve heard about such a person in your life.”    


“Because there hasn’t been a good time to tell you, Peko! If you want to hear more, I’d be happy to-”   


“If you’re going to show us something, then do it already!” Miu snapped.    


“Ah, sorry about it! I guess no one else wants to hear about my personal life,” Tenko said, poking her fingers together in embarrassment. “There is a more important purpose to Neo Aikido that I have not mentioned. It allows for people to look into each other’s hearts! But to best show this, I need a volunteer!”    


Kaede was curious about what Tenko meant by being able to “looking into a heart”, and decided to volunteer, getting closer to Tenko. “I’d like to see what that’s-” 

“HHHHIIIIYAAAAHHH!”   


Suddenly, Kaede’s entire world flipped upside down, and her body hit the ground painfully. It took a moment for Kaede to realize that Tenko had tossed her.    


“Owww! Tenko, what’s the big idea?” Kaede asked, getting back on her feet. She could hear Miu laughing at her from the crowd.

“Hmm… there is a strong sense of duty, but also a lot of kindness and compassion,” Tenko said, as if she hasn’t heard the question. “Yet, I also sense that you are afraid of letting everyone down.”   


“Wait, what?” Now Kaede felt shocked, because that was a pretty accurate picture of how she was feeling. “How did you do that?”    


“From my observations, Tenko has an ability to read people when she comes in physical contact with them,” Peko explained. “I know of only one other person with a similar ability.”    


“Wow, that’s an interesting ability. Is that something all martial artists can do?” Sayaka wondered to herself curiously.    


Now, I don’t think that I could teach everyone here how to do that in only one day,” Tenko said. “So I talked it over with Peko, and we decided on something a little different!”   


“As part of this lesson, and as a show of trust, we have decided to let the people here punch at us,” Peko said. She crossed her arms, and let her gaze travel over everyone. “Do not fear hurting us. We can block it.”    


Somehow, Peko managed to make that sound intimidating, with Hifumi being more scared than anyone else- he was backing away.    


“What if this is just an excuse for Tenko to slam males against the floor so hard that they break their spines?” Hifumi asked, trembling.    


“No, I wouldn’t do that! I’m actually reaching a hand out for once!” Tenko exclaimed. “This is my way of trying to learn more about you, Yamada!”   


“And your way of doing that is punching me in the face? No thank you!” Hifumi cried out.   


“If Yamada doesn’t want to do it, then he doesn’t have to,” Kaede said. “I mean, you haven’t exactly given reason to think you won’t hurt him, Tenko.”    


Tenko grimaced at that, because she had no way to deny it. “Ugh, I hate that you’re right. Anyone else that’s interesting, stand in front of either me or Peko and we can begin!”    


The two girls took out a pair of pillows, and held it in front of them. “These are from my room,” Tenko explained. “There aren’t any proper training pads, so these will have to do!”   


“I’m sitting out too! No way am I going to risk damaging my precious hands,” Miu scoffed. 

“If you don’t want to use your hands, you could kick instead,” Tenko said. “But what’s important is that we connect with each other as friends!”    


“It could be good for us to try this out,” Chiaki said. “I might never be like Chun-Li, but I could learn to kick decently… I think.”    


“I’ll try it once, then. But don’t you dare mess up my gorgeous face!” 

Ishimaru had a guilty look on his face. “Right now, I technically have a shift at the poison lab. But Hoshi saw how much I wanted to go to this, and told me he could handle things on his own for an hour.”    


“You could also think of it like this: since we're in front of the lab, you can make sure that no one enters it that you don’t know about,” Kaede pointed out. “So you are still guarding the lab itself!”   


“I still feel bad about it. I need to make this up to Ryoma later!”    


The lesson started from there, with first Sayaka and Ishimaru standing in front of Tenko and Peko respectively, punching at the pillows.    


“Maizono, you seem to put up a facade often,” Tenko observed. “Is it because you are afraid to open up to others?”    


“Maybe a little,” Sayaka admitted. “But I have been trying to get better about that. But as I’m doing this, I’ve picked up a little something. Chabashira, you seem insecure about yourself.”   


“How did you-?!” Tenko threw her arms in the air in shock. “I mean, what makes you think that?”    


“Because I’m psychic.” After a pause, Sayaka continued, “No, it’s just my intuition. But I do believe that you are a good person, Chabashira.” 

“I believe you’re a good person too!”   


As this happened, Ishimaru trained with Peko. Ishimaru had an intense look on his face as he punched.   


“There is a hesitance in your blows.” Peko stated.    


“I don’t like violence. But I wanted to try, because I want to improve myself!” Ishimaru declared.    


“It is said that a truly brave person is one that confronts their fears. So in that sense, you are doing well,” Peko said gently.    


After about half an hour, Sayaka and Ishimaru stepped away, and Miu and Chiaki took their place, albeit with the former grumbling under her breath. 

The two girls kicked the pillows, with Tenko and Peko holding firm against the blows.    


“Chiaki, you are facing this with confidence,” Peko said. “Yet, it also seems to have a crack in it.”    


“I know I am not fit for activities like these. I was a little afraid of being left out,” Chiaki said.    


“But you did decide to show up here! And I think that’s what matters,” Kaede said optimistically.    


“Tch, this isn’t so hard,” Miu said, even though she was sweating worse than the gamer. “Want to see who gets more kicks in, Nanamini?”   


“Miu, you keep insisting that you don’t need anyone else,” Tenko said. “But that’s not true, isn’t it? Otherwise, you wouldn’t keep coming up with inventions to impress everyone.” 

“My inventions are for no one but me! And everyone should count themselves lucky I share them!” Miu declared arrogantly. “I mean, you wouldn’t know the first thing about a machine if it bit you in the ass, Tencrotch!”    


“You’re completely right, of course. I don’t know much about machines,” Tenko said bluntly. “But even if I don’t know, I at least admit it! Because there is a lot I don’t know, and I want to learn!”    


_ That’s… quite the statement to make .  _ Kaede thought to herself dryly.    


“...Snrk. Heh heh heh.”    


A delicate giggling sound filled the air, and everyone searched for the source, before they found that it was from Peko, of all people.    


“I’m sorry about that, Tenko. But… that’s just like you,” Peko said, smiling. “You are truly one of the most earnest people I’ve ever met.”    


_ Wait, is this the first time Peko has ever smiled, in all the time we’ve been on this island? _

“I must have sounded really embarrassing just now,” Tenko said sheepishly. “I have a bad habit of letting my mouth run.”    


Kaede giggled a bit at this display, but she saw something out of the corner of her eye. “Where do you think you’re going, Miu?”   


The inventor, who had been sneaking away, sighed. “There isn’t really a further point to this lesson. It’s so obvious that those two would rather be alone together.” 

“What exactly are you implying, Iruma?” Peko asked, her smile vanishing to be replaced with concern.    


“I mean, you meatheads have been attached to the hip since day one,” Miu said. “Even now! I mean, you two just happen to have a guard shift together earlier? Pekoyama probably made the schedule like that on purpose!”    


“Nonsense, Iruma! Pekoyama is far too professional to make changes like that! Isn’t that right?” When Ishimaru didn’t get an answer, he turned to look at the swordswoman- to find that her face was now bright red, and she was stricken silent.    


“...Wait, did you actually do that? Holy shit, I was joking!” Miu exclaimed in amazement. “But this is even better than I could imagine! It’s like perfect blackmail material!” 

“You are letting your imagination get carried away with you,” Peko said, though her voice notably lacked conviction.    


“I don’t think it’s a good idea to blackmail your friends. But maybe a little teasing is fine,” Sayaka said cheerfully. “Chabashira, apparently Pekoyama really enjoys spending time with you.”   


“I m-mean, we’re close friends, so I h-hope that she does,” Tenko stammered, blushing fiercely. “Oh, but I hope I’m not taking up too much of her time, she probably has much more important things to do!”    


“I wouldn’t do anything that I didn’t want to do,” Peko said, her face still red. “Don’t think that you’ve been a burden.”   


“Maybe we should all get out of here! Unless we want to be here when this tension boils over!” Miu exclaimed.    


Strangely, Chiaki had a serious expression as she observed this. “The first true bond that Peko has formed on this island,” Chiaki muttered under her breath. “I wonder if it’s why she has not…?”   


Whatever else Chiaki was saying, it was drowned out by the ensuing commotion, to the point where even Kaede’s ears couldn’t pick it up.    


“Oh, I don’t think anything like that’s going to happen, Miu,” Sayaka said. “But I do wonder if it could go in that direction eventually.”    


“Um, what is everyone talking about?” Ishimaru asked curiously.    


“I’m glad that everyone is getting along, but maybe we could return to the lesson?” Tenko suggested, to no avail. 

“Oh, are you interested, Sayaka? You’re more dirty minded than I thought!” Miu said.    


“Everyone, please pay attention!” Peko said firmly, but no one listened.    


_ These lessons never go as planned, do they? _

* * *

Eventually, the teasing of Tenko and Peko did cease, and everyone that was thirsty drank from the glasses of water that had been prepared. 

“That was a hard workout. I think I’m going to go take a nap,” Sayaka said, yawning.    


“I’m going to the empty room at the lab to play some video games, since I have the final shift soon,” Chiaki said. “Hoshi is at the lab, so maybe I'll play something with him. Meet you there later, Maizono?”   


“Sounds like a plan!” Sayaka headed off to the dormitory.

“I believe I will return to my chambers as well,” Hifumi said. “Today has given me a lot of inspiration for a new masterpiece!”    


“That was… an experience,” Peko said, having finally recovered from being in the spotlight. “I believe I will have dinner by myself, then retire.”    


“I’m going to train a little more!” Tenko declared. “But I will do it in my room so I won’t be a disturbance!”   


“Before you go to bed, Pekoyama, we need to work out tomorrow’s shift schedule!” Ishimaru called out, following behind Peko.   


Left in the area was Kaede, Miu, and Chiaki, who hadn’t left yet.    


“You know, I’m actually happy that we could tease Peko a bit,” Chiaki said, sounding relieved. “It makes her feel a little less distant.”    


“Eh, it didn’t turn out to be a complete waste of time,” Miu said. “But I’m not going to kick like a maniac again any time soon.”    


“I don’t know, I thought it was fun to watch,” Chiaki said teasingly.    


“No one asked you! But I suppose we didn’t find out who was a winner in that contest,” Miu said. “So I hope that you’re ready to be challenged again tomorrow!”    


“At this point, I look forward to it, Miu. See you tomorrow,” Chiaki said, heading off to the laboratory. 

Miu opened her mouth, as if she was going to return the sentiment, but then closed it again. 

“Today’s been really fun, Miu! I hope we can spend more fun times like these together soon,” Kaede said. “Wouldn’t it be great to be able to relax like this more often?”

“As long as we’re stuck in this killing game, I am not going to relax!” Miu declared. “And you shouldn’t either, Kaeidiot! Don’t get complacent!”    


Miu left towards the dining hall. Kaede followed behind her, looking forward to dinner and some sleep.    


_ “Don’t get complacent”. I didn’t know it at the moment, but…    
_

_ I really should have taken those words seriously. _

**Monokuma Theater**

“‘Are you the sort of man to put poison in the goblet in front of you, or that of your enemy’? This quote shows how very hard it is to trust even what you see with your own eyes!”    


“After all, you can’t see everything happening in the world at once. For all you know, someone plans for you to be late to that important appointment  by gluing you to the floor of your apartment.”    


“Or maybe the bus you are taking is going to crash into a train, turning you and everyone on it into paste. There’s just no way to know for sure, is there?”   


“Which is why you need to take the initiative- put the poison in your own goblet!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With everything that has happened in this day, I wonder what the audience will gravitate towards. As always, I am open to every theory that the audience has in mind. See you next time! Please review.


	39. Chapter 3, Daily Life VII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took a little while, but here is another chapter for everyone! Of course, instead of explaining why it took so long, I would invite the everyone to see for themselves. Enjoy, my readers!

_ Kaede was in a classroom. Yet, she was not wearing the pink uniform she usually did. Instead, she was wearing a dark blue uniform with a red handkerchief around the collar. In this dream, Kaede was in front of a piano.    
_

_ But she did not play any of her usual favorite tunes. Instead, she played a listless assortment of random notes.    
_

_ “Geez, why does it sound like someone is murdering a cat in here?”    
_

_ Kaede looked up, to see another blonde girl approaching her.    
_

_ “That would be me murdering the cat,” Kaede said dryly. “Not like this piano could play anything good anyways. It’s out of tune and I can’t figure out how to fix it.”   
_

_ “Shit, I could do that with my eyes closed! And I will, if only to stop hearing this racket!”    
_

_ “Be my guest.” Kaede stepped away from the piano, and the other girl bent under it, tinkering with something underneath it.    
_

_ “Ah, here’s the problem!” The blonde girl declared triumphantly. “Try playing something now!”    
_

_ Kaede played some notes experimentally, and found that the piano indeed sounded much better. “Wow, that’s impressive! Thank you very much… I just realized I never asked your name.”    
_

_“That’s really fucking rude of you! But I’ll tell you, so you better not forget it! My name is-”_

* * *

Kaede was pulled out of her dream by the sound of a piercing alarm echoing throughout her room, and she threw her sheets off of herself. The alarm didn’t stop, so Kaede exited the room to see what was going on.   


Already outside were several other people: Peko, Korekiyo, and Ishimaru.    


“Why is there an alarm?” Kaede asked the group. 

“We do not know, Kaede!” Ishimaru answered. “We’re waiting for everyone else to wake up before we investigate!”   


“Though that may take a while. It is around two a.m.” Peko said. “Even with the alarm, some people may stay asleep.”   


“It’s two a.m?!” Kaede exclaimed incredulously.  _ Why is something happening now, of all times?  _

“I at least do not feel any exhaustion,” Korekiyo said. “I am used to keeping late hours in the course of my research.”

Hifumi came running up to the group. “Where’s the fire? I don’t want to be here when it shows up!”    


“There’s no fire, Hifumi!” Ishimaru said in a reassuring voice. “But we are trying to figure out what’s going on!”   


“Maybe someone should check on everyone in their rooms, then,” Hifumi suggested. “It would make me feel better.”    


“I’ll do it!” Ishimaru knocked on the different doors, and people answered one by one: Tenko, Sayaka, Ryoma, Gundham, and Miu. Ishimaru knocked on Chiaki’s door a few times, then put his ear to the door. “Nanami, are you really playing video games at a time like this?”    


Ishimaru rejoined the group. “Everyone’s present and accounted for! Though I have chastised Nanami for playing video games in the middle of the night.”    


“I was in the middle of brainstorming for my next invention! But this stupid alarm made the idea run away,” Miu said irritably. “So whoever is responsible better own up to it!”

“It was not by my infernal design that this hellish clamour rings!” Gundham said, his tone angry. Even Ent-B seemed grumpy from being awake so early, it’s chirps shrill.    


Kaede looked around, and saw that everyone else seemed to be just as confused. “But if it was none of us, then why...?”   


A nearby monitor turned on, and Monokuma appeared on it. “I’ll explain it! The reason for the alarm is that illegal movement was detected inside the Kismet Island Laboratory!”    


“Then do you’ll be able to tell us who tripped the alarm!” Tenko exclaimed. 

“It’s the strangest thing, actually. I checked inside the lab, and there isn’t a soul breathing in there,” Monokuma said. “Which makes me all the more annoyed that I was awakened by this!”    


“Wait, no one is inside the lab? That doesn’t make any sense,” Kaede pointed out. “Maybe they managed to sneak out before they were caught?”

“Don’t insult me!” Monokuma yelled. “My cameras can see every inch of this area! I’m telling you that no one was in the lab when the alarm was tripped!”    


“We’re all here right now. So I guess that would make sense,” Sayaka said in an uncertain tone. “But how would the alarm be tripped, if not by a person? Maybe it would be best if we investigated ourselves.”   


“The students are free to enter the laboratory during regular business hours. However, no one is allowed in there right now, because it is not morning yet,” Monokuma said. “Even at times like these, I have to be strict with the rules. So back to bed, kiddos!” 

The monitor turned off, leaving everyone distinctly annoyed. Thankfully, the alarm shut off shortly after that.    


“Perhaps this is Monokuma’s idea of a practical joke.” Ryoma said.    


“I’m just glad that everyone is okay,” Sayaka said, hugging herself. Kaede noticed that she seemed deeply shaken. “Still, it will be hard to go back to sleep after an event like this.”   


“We’re going to have to try. We still have all our guard shifts later in the morning,” Kaede said. “And we also need to talk more about all the clues we’ve found up until now.”   


“If this was really a scheme by Monokuma, it was likely to force us to operate at less than ideal conditions,” Peko speculated. “If need be, I will share what I know about being able to cope with having poor rest.”    


“You sound like you’ve coped with too much, Pekoyama,” Ishimaru said in a concerned tone. “If you need rest, let us know!” 

“I will make sure to do so.” Peko said simply.    


One by one, the students returned to their rooms. When Kaede slipped back under her sheets, she found that it was difficult to go back to sleep. Eventually, she managed to fall back into the embrace of slumber.

* * *

Next time that Kaede woke up, she checked her Monopad, and was alarmed to see that it was seven a.m. “I overslept! This is a terrible way to start the day.”   


Kaede took a quick shower and got dressed, heading towards the dining hall to eat breakfast. To Kaede’s surprise, Chiaki was already sitting at a table, a plate of food in front of her. Chiaki had her hood up, her head bent forward.    


“Good morning, Chiaki!” Kaede called out. When the gamer didn’t answer, Kaede shook her head. “I guess you’re taking a quick nap because of what happened earlier. Still, you should have at least eaten your food.”    


Kaede went over to a food machine, and got herself a meal as well. She heard the sound of someone else entering the dining hall, and turned to see it was Korekiyo.    


“Greetings, Kaede. It seems you and Nanami are among the early risers,” Korekiyo observed. “Should we rouse everyone else?”   


“No, let them sleep. They might get angry if we tried to wake them up.” Kaede sat at a table, and ate her breakfast.    


While Kaede ate, Gundham entered the dining hall. “Greetings, mortals! How does the dawn find you?”   


“As good as we could be, given the-”    
  
*ding dong, bing bong*    


The monitor in the dining hall switched on. “A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time, which you may use however you like, the class trial will begin!”    


It was as if Kaede had been doused with a bucket of ice water. “A body discovery announcement? How?!”    


Gudham tensed up considerably. “I know not if anyone has passed through this point before us. And yet, that possibility cannot be denied.”    


“Then we need to check the lab at once!” Kaede exclaimed urgently. 

She and Gundham sprinted towards the Kismet Island Laboratory. As they entered inside, Kaede said, “Let’s split up and look in different places!”    


Gudham headed towards the room with the mysterious engraving while Kaede went to the room with the fake limbs. Scanning the inside of the room, she didn’t see any sign of a body.    


Kaede left the room quickly, and headed towards the empty room inside. Once again there wasn’t a body, but before Kaede left she noticed something on the floor.    


Getting closer, Kaede saw that it was a handheld Funplane, but the screen had shattered, leaving shards all over the floor. Kaede also noticed that one of the power cables had been cut.    


“Tanaka, come here!” Kaede cried out. Gundham rushed into the room, and his eyes fell on the broken handheld as well.

“What in damnation?! That belongs to the perceptive dreamer. Yet why is it here?” Gundham asked.    


“I don’t, but I suddenly have a really bad feeling. We should return to the dining hall.” Kaede rushed back there, with Gundham right behind her. 

Inside seemed to be everyone else, but Kaede counted just to be sure. Korekiyo, Ishimaru, Ryoma, Hifumi, Tenko, Sayaka, Peko, Miu… Chiaki was still sitting at her table.    


“We heard the body discovery announcement! Have you found out what happened yet?” Tenko asked, sounding terrified.    


“No, we haven’t found anyone. But everyone is here,” Kaede said, the bad feeling getting worse. “So if anything, that’s even more confusing.” 

“First, an alarm triggered by no one. Then a body discovery without a body. This is an irritating day,” Ryoma grumbled.    


“We did find one of Chiaki’s handheld game consoles shattered on the floor of a room in the lab,” Gundham shared. “We wish to ask her about it.”    


“I told Nanami to wake up, but she didn’t answer,” Ishimaru said. “In fact, I think she’s somehow slept through the announcement, too.”    


By now, Kaede felt like she couldn’t breathe. She looked around the room, seeing if she could pick up a clue to explain everything that had happened.    


The only person that she noticed acting strangely was Sayaka- the idol’s face was as white as a sheet, and she kept glancing towards Chiaki.   


Something about this clicked in Kaede’s mind.  _ The body discovery announcement played when me, Tanaka, and Kiyo were in here, with the only other person being- _

Before Kaede could think anymore, she rushed to where Chiaki was sitting, grabbing her by the shoulders and giving her a hard shake. Chiaki’s hood fell off her head…

_ Chiaki’s eyes stared blankly into the distance, lacking even the smallest spark of life. At this point, I noticed that her body was stone cold under my hands.  _ _   
_

_ Chiaki Nanami was long dead.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, it is now up to the characters to unravel what has happened. This particular scene was one of the hardest for me, personally, because it involves a favorite character of mine. Yet you can't avoid the bad in life. See you next time! Please review.

**Author's Note:**

> If you gave this story your time, thank you very much! Me and my team are very hard at work on this Killing Game. So get ready for thrills, chills, and kills that we are going to deliver onto you. See you next time! Please review.


End file.
